Description

GAUDIO MANSUETO (VIGNALE TORINESE, 7 AUGUST, 1873 – SANTIAGO, 23 SEPTEMBER, 1941)

 

 

 

He was one of the finest Italian basses of his time. He studied singing under Nicola Lentini in Milan and made his debut in 1893 at the Teatro Politeama Genovese in Genoa in La Traviata. By 1900, he was performing at the Teatro Alla Scala, singing under Arturo Toscanini in Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde. He also appeared at La Scala during the 1904-05 season.

In 1904, he toured Chile for the first time with the Padovani opera troupe. The year prior, he had made a guest appearance in Odessa and later performed in St. Petersburg in 1910. During the 1908-09 season, he sang at the Teatro Real in Madrid and in 1911 at the Teatro Liceo in Barcelona. On April 22, 1915, he participated in the opening season of the Teatro Nacional in Havana as Ramfis in Aida, a role he had also performed at the inaugural festival of the Arena di Verona in 1913.

In the 1916-17 and 1921-22 seasons, he returned to La Scala in Milan, again under Toscanini, who held his voice in high regard. He retired from the stage in 1930 and settled in Santiago, Chile. He made nine recordings for Gramophone between 1907 and 1919.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1893 Genova Teatro Politeama Genovese

1900 Milano Teatro Alla Scala

1904-1905 Milano Teatro Alla Scala

1904 Odessa Teatro Municipale

1908-1909 Madrid Teatro Real

1910 St. Petersburg Nuovo Conservatorio

1911 Barcelona Teatro Liceo

1913 Arena di Verona

1915 Havana Nacional

1916-1917 Milano Teatro Alla Scala

1921-1922 Milano Teatro Alla Scala

 

 

GIOVANNI GRAVINA (? 1872 – HAVANA, 1912)

 

 

 

He began his stage career around 1895 in Italy. In 1902, he sang for the first time at La Scala in Il Trovatore, appearing alongside Rosa Caligaris, Julian Biel, and Antonio Magini-Coletti. On March 11, 1902, he also took part in the world premiere of Franchetti’s Germania at La Scala, with Enrico Caruso, Amelia Pinto, and Mario Sammarco.

In the following years, he achieved great success not only in Italy but also in South America and, above all, in Russia, where he appeared almost annually, often in partnership with the celebrated baritone Mattia Battistini.

During the 1907–08 season, he was engaged by the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where he appeared only once, as Sparafucile in Rigoletto. In 1912, he enjoyed a notable success at the Boston Opera in Verdi’s Aida, performing opposite Carmen Melis.

His life ended tragically. During a performance of Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia in Havana, Cuba, he was accidentally stabbed in the right eye by the famous tenor Florencio Constantino during a swordplay scene. Although Constantino compensated him with $50,000, the singer suffered greatly and died from his injuries four weeks later.

Chronology of some appearances

1896 Politeama Castagnola Catania ‘’Rigoletto’’ with Antonio Agresti, Emilia Balvetti and Emanuele Bucalo and Carmelina Vega

1896 Politeama Castagnola Catania ‘’Lucia di Lammermoor’’ wih with Antonio Agresti, Emilia Balvetti and Emanuele Bucalo and Carmelina Vega

1896 Politeama Pacini Catania ‘’Norma’’ with Antonio Ceppi, Elisa Ferrari, Hilda Brizzi and Emanuele Bucalo

1897 Teatro Nazionale Catania ‘’La Traviata’’ with Antonio Papa Annina Franco and Vittorio Ferraguti

1897 Teatro Nazionale Catania “La forza del destino’’ with De Salvin, Annina Franco,  Giuseppe La Puma and Enrico Dondi

1902 La Scala Milan ‘’Il Trovatore’’ with Julian Biel, Rosa Caligaris and Antonio Magini-Coletti

1904 Teatro Comunale Bologna “I maestri cantori di Norimberga” with Giuseppe Krismer, Amina Matini, Gaetano Pini-Corsi, Giuseppe De Luca and Arturo pessina.

 

 

GIUSEPPE DE BERNARDI

 

 

 

He was probably born in Piemonte and graduated in jurisprudence from the University of Turin.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1905 Manon Lescaut (Geronte) Rigoletto (Sparafucile) Iris (Cieco)

1906 Bohème (Colline) Rigoletto (Sparafucile) Ballo in Maschera (Samuel) Manon Lescaut (Geronte)

1907 Don Pasquale (Don Pasquale) Puritani (Giorgio) Tosca (Sagrestano) Zazà (Courtois)

1908 Tosca (Sagrestano) Il Pipelet Le Educande di Sorrento (Don Democrito)

1909 Elisir d’Amore (Dulcamara) Tosca (Sagrestano) Don Pasquale Barbiere di Siviglia (Don Bartolo)

1910 Manon (Guillot) Barbiere di Siviglia (Don Bartolo) Don Pasquale

1911 Bohème (Benoit/Alcindoro) Italiana in Algeri (Mustafà) Don Pasquale Barbiere di Siviglia (Don Bartolo)

1912 Barbiere di Siviglia (Don Bartolo) Don Pasquale Werther (Podestà) Bohème (Benoit/Alcindoro)

1913–1914 Wally (Stromminger/Pedone) Barbiere di Siviglia (Don Bartolo) Crispino e la Comare (Crispino) Don Pasquale

1915–1916 Bohème (Benoit/Alcindoro) Barbiere di Siviglia (Don Bartolo) Cadore Don Pasquale Elisir d’Amore (Dulcamara)

1917–1918 Bohème (Benoit/Alcindoro) Wally (Pedone) Barbiere di Siviglia (Don Bartolo) Don Pasquale Mignon (Laerte) Fedora (Lorek) Manon Lescaut (Geronte)

 

 

GIUSEPPE FLAMINI (TORGIANO/PERUGIA, 1897 – PERUGIA, 1955)

 

 

 

He made his debut at the Teatro dell’Opera in Rome as Monterone in Rigoletto.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1924 Roma Teatro dell’Opera Rigoletto (Monterone)

1927 Verona Arena Aida (Re)

1930 ‘S-Gravenhage Gebouw Voor Kunsten en Wetenschappen Sansone e Dalida (Abimelecco)

1932 Catania Teatro Bellini Lohengrin (Re Enrico)

1935 Novara Teatro Coccia Aida (Ramfis)

1937 Trieste Teatro Verdi Boris Godunov (Pimen)

1940 Messina Teatro Savoia Rigoletto (Sparafucile)

1943 Lisbona Coliseo Recrejos Aida (Ramfis)

1947 Livorno Teatro Goldoni Adriana Lecouvreur (Principe)

 

 

LUCIANO DONAGGIO (TRIESTE, 1887 – ?)

 

 

 

He studied with the famous tenor Alfonso Garulli and with Romeo Bartoli. In 1907 he made the debut in Trieste at the Anfiteatro Minerva as Abdallah in ‘’Tutti in Maschera’’ of A. Pedrotti. He retired from the stage in 1949. He made 3 records.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1907 Trieste Anfiteatro Minerva Tutti in Maschera di E. Pedrotti (Abdalâ)

1910 Fiume Teatro Verdi Aida (Ramfis)

1913 Novara Teatro Coccia Fanciulla del West (Wallace)

1915 Milano Teatro Carcano Trovatore (Ferrando)

1918 Brescia Teatro Sociale Barbiere di Siviglia (Don Basilio)

1921 Milano Teatro Dal Verme  Il Piccolo Marat (Orco)

1924 Parma Teatro Regio Forza del Destino (Padre Guardiano)

1929 Voghera Teatro Sociale Barbiere di Siviglia (Don Basilio)

1932 Genova   Teatro Carlo Felice Debora e Jaele di I. Pizzetti

1935 Genova Teatro Carlo Felice Favorita (Baldassarre)

1939 Parma Teatro Regio Il Piccolo Marat (Orco)

1942 Livorno Teatro Goldoni Il Piccolo Marat (Orco)

1949 Trieste Teatro Verdi Wally (Stromminger)

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Gaudio Mansueto Mefistofele (Boito) Folletto, folletto (w. de Tura) 54408 13074b Gramophone, Milano 1909-04-10

Gaudio Mansueto Mefistofele (Boito) Ave Signor (Prologo) 052270 1968c (over 1768c) Gramophone, Milano 1909-04-09

Gaudio Mansueto Mignon (Thomas) Ninna nanna 052202 1386c G&T, Milano 1907-09?

Gaudio Mansueto Stabat Mater (Rossini) Eja mater 052237 1388c G&T, Milano 1907-09?

Gaudio Mansueto Mosè (Rossini) Preghiera (w. Alexina) 054185 1387c G&T, Milano 1907-09?

Giovanni Gravina Juive (Halévy) Se oppressi ognor 52341 1710b G&T, Milano 1902-04

Giovanni Gravina Robert le diable (Meyerbeer) Evocazione   52342 1711b G&T, Milano 1902-04

Giovanni Gravina Simon Boccanegra (Verdi) Romanza 52367 1713b G&T, Milano 1902-04

Giovanni Gravina Gioconda (Ponchielli) La turbini e farnetichi 52343 1714b G&T, Milano 1902-04

Giuseppe De Bernardi Ernani (Verdi) Infelice e tuo credevi 1067 Anker

Giuseppe De Bernardi Robert le diable (Meyerbeer) Evocazione 15023 Anker

Giuseppe De Bernardi Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) La calunnia 15038 Anker

Giuseppe Flamini Discioglietevi in pianto (Marcello) 4 WBX1379 Musiche Italiane Antiche/Columbia, Milano 1935

Giuseppe Flamini Serse (Cavalli) Beato chi può Xerxes 4 WBX1380 Musiche Italiane Antiche/Columbia, Milano 1935

Luciano Donaggio Mefistofele (Boito) Cavaliere illustre e saggio… Dimmi se credi (w. Broccardi & Zamboni &) 4717, 4718 Fonografia Nazionale