Description

FILIPPO ALDOBRANDI (ROMA, 1859 – MILANO, 1906)

 

 

 

Filippo Aldobrandi studied singing in Milan under Cima and made his debut in 1887 at the Teatro Sociale in Mondovì as Renato in Un ballo in maschera. After a brief interruption of his career, he returned to the stage with renewed success, establishing himself primarily as a baritone in the Italian repertoire.

In 1893, he appeared at the Teatro Garibaldi in Figline Valdarno as Rigoletto. The following year, he sang in Brescia at the Teatro Guillaume in Ciaffi’s Graziella. His international presence began to form in 1896 with performances at the Teatro Liceo in Barcelona, where he appeared as Alfio in Cavalleria rusticana.

His career flourished steadily. In 1897, he sang Alfonso in La favorita in Pistoia, Jago in Otello at the Teatro Sociale in Rovigo, and Gérard in Andrea Chénier at the Teatro Municipale in Reggio Emilia. In early 1898, he returned to Reggio Emilia as Lescaut in Manon, followed by engagements in Pisa and Vicenza, where he appeared in Leoncavallo’s La bohème as Rodolfo, and later as Marcello at the Teatro Vittorio Emanuele in Turin.

He maintained a vigorous schedule in 1899: Marcello at the Teatro Fraschini in Pavia, Gérard and Lescaut in Savona, Alfio in Zara, Amonasro in Aida at Busto Arsizio, and multiple leading roles in Alessandria and Verona, including David in L’amico Fritz.

The new century brought further engagements. In 1900, he appeared in Verona in Fedora (De Siriex) and returned to L’amico Fritz in Venice, later singing Tonio in Pagliacci at Asti. His 1901 season included Reggio Emilia, Parma, La Spezia, Codogno, and Busto Arsizio, with a repertoire featuring Alfonso (La favorita), Figaro (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Valentino (Faust), and Gérard (Andrea Chénier).

Aldobrandi expanded further abroad in 1902 with a significant engagement at the Coliseo Recrejos in Lisbon, where he took on an exceptionally wide range of roles including Amonasro, Marcello, Valentino, Alfonso, Silvio, Nevers, Renato, Escamillo, Fabrizio (Crispino e la Comare), and Carlo (Ernani). That year also brought appearances in Pesaro, Biella, and Genoa.

In 1903, he returned to the Politeama Genovese in Genoa for the local premiere of Giacomo Orefice’s new opera Chopin. He continued to perform demanding roles throughout the year in Sampierdarena, Biella, and Savona, where he scored a notable success as Scarpia in Tosca.

His later engagements included Renato in Un ballo in maschera at the Teatro Cavour in Porto Maurizio in 1905.

 

 

MASSIMO ANDREOLI

 

 

 

Probably he made his debut in 1921 at the Teatro Sociale in Treviso as Amonasro in Aida. Until 1944, he appeared primarily in provincial theaters throughout Italy.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1921 Treviso Teatro Sociale Aida (Amonasro)

1923 Livorno Politeama Aida (Amonasro)

1925 Genova Politeama Genovese Rigoletto (Rigoletto)

1928 Genova Teatro Carlo Felice Crepuscolo Degli Dei (Gunther)

1932 Como Teatro Sociale Isabeau (Re Raimondo)

1935 Torino Teatro Regio Ave Maria di S.Allegra (Sagro)

1944 Piacenza Teatro Municipale Tristano e Isotta (Kurvenaldo)

 

 

ENZO BACCANTE (SULMONA, 1887 – NEW YORK, 1938)

 

 

 

Baccante’s operatic career likely began in 1909 at the Teatro Faraggiana in Novara, where he made his debut as Zurga in I pescatori di perle. His performances in Italy can be traced from 1909 to 1914, primarily in smaller provincial theaters. He served in the Italian Army during the First World War and emigrated to the United States in 1922, where he shifted his focus to a career as a painter and sculptor. Although he occasionally appeared in concerts and on the radio in the U.S., he became best known for his visual art. He died of heart disease.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1909  Novara Teatro Faraggiana Pescatori di Perle (Zurga)

1910  Vercelli Politeama Facchinetti Faust (Valentino)

1912  Cerignola Teatro Mercadante Pescatori di Perle (Zurga)

1914 Novara Teatro Coccia Orma di C. Viscardini

 

 

CESARE BACCHETTA (NOVARA, 1860 – MILANO, 1942)

 

 

 

He studied in his hometown and made his debut in 1883 at the Teatro Sociale in Crema in Verdi’s Aroldo. In 1893, he sang at the Teatro Comunale in Bologna in the local premiere of Manon Lescaut, performing the role of Lescaut. He took part in several world premieres, including Atala by F. Guglielmi (1884), Roderico, Re dei Goti by A. Ponchielli (1888), Fior d’Alpe by A. Franchetti (1894), Una notte nel deserto by N. Uriel (1895), and Dramma in vendemmia by V. Fornari (1896).

He enjoyed recognition not only in opera but also as a recital artist and an interpreter of sacred music and oratorio. For a period, he also sang operetta with various companies. After retiring, he devoted himself to teaching, yet his final years were marked by poverty. He spent his last days at the Casa di Riposo G. Verdi in Milan and died from injuries sustained after being struck by a tram.

 

 

ARMINIO BALLISTINI (LEGNAGO ? – ?)

 

 

 

He studied singing in Padua under the pedagogue G. Orefice and in Milan with Giuseppe Mandolini. He made his debut in 1909 at the Teatro Dauno in Foggia in ‘’Lucia di Lammermoor’’. After the First World War he started to appear as tenor, but without success.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1910 Cagliari Teatro Civico Wally (Gellner)

1911 Malta Teatro Reale Cavalleria Rusticana (Alfio)

1912 Lendinara Teatro Ballarin Werther (Albert)

1913 Livorno Teatro Rossini Traviata (Germont)

1914 Caltagirone Teatro Garibaldi Madama Butterfly (Sharpless)

1918 Milano Teatro Lirico Pagliacci (Canio)

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Filippo Aldobrandi Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) Largo al factotum 10045 Columbia, Milano 1903

Filippo Aldobrandi Favorita (Donizetti) A tanto amor 10145 Columbia, Milano 1903

Filippo Aldobrandi Roi de Lahore (Massenet) O casto fior 10144 Columbia, Milano 1903

Filippo Aldobrandi Manon (Massenet) Mi raccomando 10142 Columbia, Milano 1903

Massimo Andreoli Guillaume Tell (Rossini) Allor che scorre… Troncar i suoi di with Vittorio Lois and Albino Marone 172077 XXPh6569 172077 Fonotipia, Milano 1930-03-20

Massimo Andreoli Guillaume Tell (Rossini) Resta immobile 168284 Mo2904 Fonotipia, Milano 1930-03-22

Massimo Andreoli Guglielmo Tell (Rossini) Ah! Matilde io t’amo with Vittorio Lois F 5604 172078 a Fonotipia, Milano 1930-03-21

Enzo Baccante Gioielli della Madonna (Wolf-Ferrari) Bacio di lama 110373 xM 1805 Fonotipia, Milano 1913-01-01

Enzo Baccante Amica (Mascagni) Se tu amasti me A 83082 Odeon Fonotipia

Enzo Baccante Pescatori di Perle (Bizet) O Nadir A 83083 Odeon Fonotipia

Cesare Bacchetta Rigoletto (Verdi) Signor Và non ho niente with Cesare Preve D 4124 10654 Columbia

Arminio Ballistini Trovatore (Verdi) Un istante almen with Carlo Albani and Bianca Besalu 110143 Odeon Fonotipia, Milano 1911

Arminio Ballistini Trovatore (Verdi) Pria che d’altri Carlo Albani and Emilia Corsi 110144 Odeon Fonotipia, Milano 1911