Description

MICHELE TORNESI

 

 

 

He probably made his debut in 1898 and was active mainly in South America (Montevideo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo). He made four recordings for Disco Zonofono.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1899 Buenos Ayres Politeama Argentino Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)

1901 Bassano del Grappa Teatro Sociale Traviata (Alfredo)

1903 La Spezia Politeama Duca di Genova Tosca (Cavaradossi)

1905 Rosario Santa Fê Teatro Olimpo Iris (Osaka)

1907 San Paolo Teatro Santana Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)

1909 Rosario di Santa Fê Teatro Colon Iris (Osaka)

1911 Buenos Ayres Teatro Marconi Rigoletto (Duca)

1914 Buenos Ayres Teatro Coliseo Boheme (Rodolfo)

 

 

ALESSANDRO PROCACCI (GUBBIO, 25 DECEMBER, 1869 – MILANO, 20 FEBRUARY, 1946)

 

 

 

He studied voice at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome and made his debut on November 25, 1898, at the Teatro Lirico in Milan. His 20-year career was international; although he performed frequently in Italy, his greatest successes were in the Tsarist Empire, where he was even regarded as a serious rival to Sobinov. He appeared in about 40 venues across Italy and at least 50 in Tsarist Russia. His travels took him as far as Vladivostok, as well as to the Philippines and Indonesia.

 

 

FAUSTO FRERA (DESENZANO DEL GARDA, 1890 – TOKIO, 1929)

 

 

 

He studied in Milan with maestro Mandolini and made his operatic debut in Tosca in 1923 at the Reale in Malta.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1917 Barlassina Teatro Sociale Concerto

1923 Malta Teatro Reale Tosca (Cavaradossi)

1924 Brescia Tetro Sociale Andrea Chénier (Chénier)

1925 Torino Teatro Balbo Andrea Chénier (Chénier)

1926 Lucca Teatro Del Giglio Andrea Chénier (Chénier)

 

 

ALDO ONETO (GENOA, 1902 – ? 1984)

 

 

 

He studied singing under the pedagogue Mucci and made his debut at the Teatro Piccinni in Bari as Cavaradossi in Tosca (1926). During his career, he was referred to as “The New Caruso” (V. Tortorelli: Enrico Caruso nel centenario della nascita, Artisti Associati, Rimini, 1973), though he is now largely forgotten. He spent his entire career performing in Italy and retired from the stage in 1948.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1926 Bari Teatro Piccinni Tosca (Cavaradossi)

1927 Sestri Ponente Teatro Verdi Tosca (Cavaradossi)

1929 Genova Teatro Modena Boheme (Rodolfo)

1930 Parma Politeama Reinach Tosca (Cavaradossi)

1931 Vicenza Teatro Eretenio Boheme (Rodolfo)

1932 Milano Teatro Carcano Tosca (Cavaradossi)

1933 Bari Teatro Petruzzelli Mefistofele (Faust)

1934 Parma Teatro Regio Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)

1935 Novara Teatro Coccia Amico Fritz (Fritz)

1941 Pistoia Politeama Mabellini Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)

1948 Sampierdarena Teatro Massimo Boheme (Rodolfo)

 

MARIO ARMANDI

 

 

 

He appeared for the first time in 1891, performing in a remarkable variety of works across northern Italy. That year, he sang Fra Diavolo (title role), Il barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva), La traviata (Alfredo), and L’elisir d’amore (Nemorino) at the Politeama delle Varietà in Trento, later appearing at the Teatro Ristori in Verona as Fernando in La favorita, and at the Teatro Sociale in Busto Arsizio in the same role.

In 1892, he was engaged at the Teatro Comunale in Ferrara as Peppe in Pagliacci, at the Teatro Sociale in Novellara in Cagnoni’s Papà Martin, and again in Verona as Fernando in La favorita. He also appeared at the Teatro Alberti in Desenzano sul Garda as Gounod’s Faust.

Armandi’s career advanced rapidly: in December 1893, he sang Fenton in Verdi’s Falstaff at the Teatro Regio in Turin, one of Italy’s most prestigious houses. In 1895, he appeared at the Politeama in Palermo in two modern operas, Il piccolo Haydn by G. Cipollini (as Maestro Porpora) and La martyre by S. Samara (as Baciacieli). The following year, he was heard at La Scala, Milan (1896), as Leslie in Mascagni’s Guglielmo Ratcliff.

In 1897, he made an international appearance in Moscow at the Imperial Theatre, performing as the Incredibile in Andrea Chénier, Jonas in Le prophète, and Tebaldo in Roméo et Juliette.

Returning to Italy, Armandi continued to appear throughout the country. In 1899 he was active in Bologna, Piacenza, Genoa, and Milan, singing his favorite parts—Nemorino, Ernesto, and Fra Diavolo—before taking on Canio in Pagliacci at the Teatro Lirico, Milan. In the early 1900s, he toured extensively, performing in a number of light and lyric tenor roles including Almaviva, Ernesto, Nemorino, and Armando (Papà Martin).

He appeared at leading venues such as the Teatro San Carlo in Naples (1904, La favorita as Fernando), the Teatro Comunale of Bologna (1903, Adriana Lecouvreur as the Abbé), and the Teatro Goldoni in Livorno (1908, Le maschere as Brighella).

Mario Armandi’s long and active career extended into the early 20th century; his last known appearances date from 1909, when he performed in concert at the Teatro Verdi in Alessandria.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Michele Tornesi Mefistofele (Boito): Dai campi, dai prati X-1852 Disco Zonofono, Milano 1902?

Michele Tornesi Germania (Franchetti): No, non chiuder gli occhi vaghi X-1879 Disco Zonofono, Milano 1902?

Alessandro Procacci Trovatore (Verdi): Miserere (w. De Angelis & chorus) 1730 Phonotype

Alessandro Procacci Forza del destino (Verdi): Le minaccie (w. Armentano Anticorona) 1612 Phonotype

Alessandro Procacci Forza del destino (Verdi): Non si placa (w. Armentano Anticorona) 1613 Phonotype

Fausto Frera Gioconda (Ponchielli): Cielo e mar 3047 Fonotecnica

Fausto Frera Fanciulla del West (Puccini): Or son sei mesi 3049 Fonotecnica

Fausto Frera Manon Lescaut (Puccini): Donna non vidi mai 3051 Fonotecnica

Fausto Frera Manon Lescaut (Puccini): Ah! Non v’avvicinate 3053 Fonotecnica

Fausto Frera Andrea Chénier (Giordano): Un dì all’azzurro spazio C5019 Fonotecnica

Aldo Oneto Andrea Chénier (Giordano): Improvviso, pt 1 6552 H85090 Homocord

Aldo Oneto Andrea Chénier (Giordano): Improvviso, pt 2 6552 H85091 Homocord

Aldo Oneto Madama Butterfly (Puccini): Addio fiorito asil (w. Martinengo) 6551 H85094 Homocord

Aldo Oneto Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): Addio alla madre, pt 1 20M/663 Excelsius

Aldo Oneto Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): Addio alla madre, pt 2 20M/664 Excelsius

Aldo Oneto Manon Lescaut (Puccini): Donna non vidi mai M7234 25M/1031 Excelsius

Mario Armandi Manon Lescaut (Puccini): E Katè (Sortita del Lampionaio) 7139 Odeon Fonotipia