Description

EUGENIO GALLI (TURIN, 1862 – TURIN, 1910)

 

 

 

He began his career as a baritone in 1887 at the Teatro Politeama in Genoa, performing the role of Count di Luna in Il Trovatore. At the same theater, he also sang Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor and the title role in Verdi’s Rigoletto, alongside the renowned soprano Emilia Corsi.

After taking a year-long break from the operatic stage, he re-emerged as a tenor, making his debut at the Teatro Carignano in Turin in R. Rasori’s new opera Nerone. He went on to perform with great success on various Italian opera stages in prominent tenor roles:

As Alvaro in Verdi’s La Forza del Destino (Faenza, 1889; Messina, 1890)

As Manrico in Verdi’s Il Trovatore (Padua, 1892; Genoa, 1894)

As Otello in Verdi’s Otello (Teatro Regio, Parma, 1895)

As Radamès in Verdi’s Aida (Teatro Politeama, Genoa, 1899)

One of his most celebrated roles was Otello in Verdi’s Otello. He first performed this role in 1894 at the Teatro Olimpo in Rosario di Santa Fé and went on to reprise it at major Italian opera houses.

He also had a close friendship with Brazilian composer Carlos Gomes and appeared in Gomes’s opera Condor at the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa in 1893, earning critical acclaim.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1887 Genoa Teatro Politeama Trovatore (Count di Luna)

1888 Torino Carignano Nerone di R. Rasori (Nerone)

1894 Rosario di Santa Fe Teatro Olimpo Otello (Otello)

1895 Parma Teatro Regio Otello (Otello)

1899 Genoa Teatro Politeama Aida (Radames)

 

 

ITALO CRISTALLI (CASTEL SAN GIOVANNI, PIACENZA, 8 OCTOBER, 1879 – CASTEL SAN GIOVANNI, PIACENZA, 16 JANUARY, 1932)

 

 

 

One of the finest Italian tenors of the early 20th century, Italo Cristalli was born in Piacenza. He studied at the Musical High School of Piacenza with Tito Piroli and later in Florence with the singer-composer Corrado Pavesi Negri. Cristalli made his operatic debut in La Bohème in Turin in 1900.

He enjoyed a substantial international career and was particularly admired as a verismo interpreter, noted for his refined style, clarity of diction, and commanding vocal presence. Remarkably, he was also among the few Italian tenors of his generation suited to the works of Wagner.

Cristalli performed extensively throughout Italy and, in 1911, joined Pietro Mascagni for a series of concerts in South America. He later appeared in the United States, where he sang with the Metropolitan Opera of New York during the 1913–1914 season. During his engagement with the Met, he was one of the few tenors honored to perform under the baton of Arturo Toscanini, alongside such greats as Enrico Caruso and Giovanni Martinelli. Cristalli often sang in the opening acts before Caruso, including at his final Met performance in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 2, 1914.

By the mid-1920s, Cristalli had returned to his native Piacenza, appearing only occasionally in smaller provincial theaters. He passed away at the early age of 52.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1898 Milano  Teatro Lirico Boheme (Rodolfo) (Leoncavallo)

1904 Firenze  Teatro Verdi Ballo in Maschera (Riccardo)

1906 Milano  Teatro Dal Verme Amica (Giorgio)

1907 Roma  Teatro Costanzi Carmen (Don Jose)

1909 Buenos Ayres Teatro Colon Dannazione di Faust (Faust)

1910 Napoli  Teatro San Carlo Boheme (Rodolfo) (Pucini)

1911 Buenos Ayres  Teatro Coliseo Boheme (Rodolfo) (Pucini)

1911 Rio de Janeiro  Teatro Municipal Boheme (Rodolfo) (Pucini)

1911 Montevideo  Teatro Solis Boheme (Rodolfo) (Pucini)

1911 Buenos Ayres  Teatro Coliseo Cavalleria rusticana (Turiddu)

1911 Rosario di Santa Fè  Teatro dell’Opera Cavalleria rusticana (Turiddu)

1911 Montevideo  Teatro Solis Cavalleria rusticana (Turiddu)

1911 San Paulo Politeama Cavalleria rusticana (Turiddu)

1911 Santiago del Cile Teatro Municipal Cavalleria rusticana (Turiddu)

1911 Valparaiso Teatro Victoria Cavalleria rusticana (Turiddu)

1913 New York  Teatro Metropolitan Boheme (Rodolfo) (Pucini)

1913 New York  Teatro Metropolitan Cavalleria rusticana (Turiddu)

1913 New York  Teatro Metropolitan Don Pasquale (Ernesto)

1916 Torino  Politeama Chiarella Don Pasquale (Ernesto)

1916 Parma  Politeama Reinach Don Pasquale (Ernesto)

1919 Firenze Teatro Verdi Cavalleria rusticana (Turiddu)

1921 Novara Teatro Coccia Don Pasquale (Ernesto)

 

 

GIOVANNI DAVI (TRIESTE ? – ?)

 

 

 

He studied singing under the pedagogue Stecchi Bottardi and made his debut in 1900 at the Teatro Sociale in Finalborgo in Lucia di Lammermoor. He continued his career primarily as a comprimario singer.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1900 Finalborgo Teatro Sociale Lucia di Lammermoor (Edgardo)

1901 Milano Teatro Dal Verme Ernani (Ernani)

1902 Teatro Bellini Trovatore (Manrico)

1902 Teatro Bellini Lucia di Lammermoor (Edgardo)

1903 San Severo Teatro Comunale Forza del Destino (Alvaro)

1904 Milano Teatro Carcano Lucia di Lammermoor (Edgardo)

1905 Lugano Teatro Apollo Forza del Destino (Don Alvaro)

1906 Roma Teatro Quirino Norma (Pollione)

1906 Odessa Teatro Municipale Pagliacci (Canio)

1908 Budrio Teatro Comunale Ballo in Maschera (Riccardo)

1909 Modena Teatro Storchi Virginia di G. Bonafini

1910 Legnago Politeama Salieri Ruy Blas (Ruy Blas)

1911 Ovada Teatro Torricelli Trovatore (Manrico)

1922 Pesaro Teatro Rossini Tosca (Spoletta)

1924 Trento Teatro Gustavo Modena Trovatore (Ruiz)

 

 

REMO DE GIOVANNI

 

 

 

He took vocal lessons with Martini and made his debut in 1910 at the Teatro Dauno in Foggia.

Chronology of some appearances

1911 Viterbo Teatro Civico Norma (Pollione)

1914 Garlasco Teatro Martinetti Un ballo in maschera (Riccardo)

1916 Terni Politeama Ternano Pagliacci (Canio)

1922 Gallarate Teatro Del Popolo Norma (Pollione)

 

 

TOMMASO FRANCI

 

 

 

He studied singing with Stanislao Mastrobuono and probably made his debut in 1912 at the Teatro Sociale in Bozzolo, performing the role of Rodolfo in Puccini’s La Bohème. The following year he was engaged by the Italian Opera Company touring the Netherlands, where he sang leading roles such as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor (Amsterdam, Paleis Voor Volksvlijt), Cavaradossi in Tosca (The Hague), Turiddu in Cavalleria rusticana, and Oronte in I Lombardi alla prima crociata (Rotterdam, 1914).

After returning to Italy, Franci appeared in 1915 at the Teatro Mercadante in Naples as Turiddu. During the following years he was heard in the principal theaters of southern and northern Italy, performing the main lyric and spinto tenor roles of the Verdi, Puccini, and Mascagni repertoire. Notable appearances include Fedora and Tosca at the Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari (1917), Cavalleria rusticana, Rigoletto, and La traviata at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome (1917), and Pagliacci at the Teatro Rossini in Pesaro (1918).

He continued to perform successfully into the 1920s, appearing at the Teatro Verdi and the Politeama Fiorentino in Florence (1921–1923). In 1927–1928, he took part in a season at the Teatro Reale in Malta, singing Fedora, La forza del destino, Tosca, La traviata, Un ballo in maschera, and Pagliacci. His later performances included Carmen (Don José) at the Teatro Civico in Merano (1929) and Pagliacci in Parma and Cornigliano the same year.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Eugenio Galli Aida (Verdi): Celeste Aida X-1743 Zonophone, Milano 1902

Eugenio Galli Otello (Verdi): Esultate… Ora e per sempre addio X-1744 Zonophone, Milano 1902

Eugenio Galli Trovatore (Verdi): Miserere 52408 2830b G&T, Milano 1902-11

Eugenio Galli Otello (Verdi): Esultate & Addio 52409 2831b G&T, Milano 1902-11

Italo Cristalli Don Pasquale (Donizetti): Come gentil D 4607 42889 Columbia, Milano 1914?

Italo Cristalli Don Pasquale (Donizetti): Sogno soave e casto D4607 42341 Columbia, Milano 1914?

Italo Cristalli Lohengrin (Wagner): Da voi lontan Unpubl. 429 Edison

Italo Cristalli Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): Tu qui, Santuzza?… Bada Santuzza with Luisa Garibaldi Unpubl. 413-A Edison

Giovanni Davi Aida (Verdi): Su del Nilo (w. Ruszkowska, Quinzi-Tapergi, Cappiello & chorus) 054260 1808c Gramophone, Milano 1909-04-27

Giovanni Davi Ernani (Verdi): Tu sei Ernani (w. Popovici & G. Maggi) 54443 13229b Gramophone, Milano 1909-05-11

Giovanni Davi Ernani (Verdi): O sommo Carlo (w. Popovici, Federici & chorus) 054287 1851c Gramophone, Milano 1909-05-14

Remo De Giovanni Norma (Bellini): Meco all’altar di Venere 82664 Odeon Fonotipia, Milano 1911/1912

Remo De Giovanni Norma (Bellini): Cabaletta 82665 Odeon Fonotipia, Milano 1911/1912

Remo De Giovanni Norma (Bellini): Qual cor tradisti with Clotilde Rubini 82703 Odeon Fonotipia, Milano 1911/1912

Tommaso Franci Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): Brindisi (w. chorus) R5323 (7-252567), BD4545-3 HMV, Milano 1927-02-09