Description

COSTA MILONA (KERATEA, 3 FEBRUARY, 1889 – LONDON, 27 MARCH, 1949)

 

 

 

 

A spinto tenor of note during the 1920s and 1930s, he is remembered principally for his recordings. Born Konstantinos Mylonas into poverty, he lost his father at an early age and was sent to work in the mines. Heard singing by a well-off gentleman, he was sponsored to the Athens Conservatory where he did well and gained recital experience in concerts sometimes accompanied by a young Dimitri Mitropoulos on the piano. Upon his 1920 graduation he relocated to Milan where he refined his art, Italianized his name, and took-up with a married Italian lady. Milona made 1923 appearances in Monte Carlo as both a Sailor and a Shepherd from R. Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde” but spent most of the 1920s in the German capital earning praise in such roles as Rodolfo in G. Puccini’s “La Boheme” and the tragic clown Canio of R. Leoncavallo’s “I Pagliacci” while recording for various companies. He was seen at the Vienna State Opera in 1932, worked as a voice teacher in Berlin during the mid 1930s, and sang at the Deutsche Opera Berlin as late as 1938. After spending the war years in Berlin, he moved to London in 1946, his way paid by a wealthy English lady as by then his voice was used-up and he was broke. Milona died of heart disease after a period of steady decline.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1923 Monte Carlo Grand-Théâtre Tristan und Isolde (sailor)

1923 Monte Carlo Grand-Théâtre Tristan und Isolde (sailor)

1938 Berlin Deutsches Oper La Bohème (Rodolfo)

1938 Berlin Deutsches Oper Pagliacci (Canio)

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Serenata (Toselli) B12026 36499 Parlophon, Berlin 1928-10-31

Sterni kantada (Statheros) B21596 101701 Parlophon, Berlin, 21 April 1931

To alanaki (Thanou) B21517 101000 Parlophon, Berlin, 18 March 1929

To Mátia Tu Dimou (Lavda) B21520 101004 Parlophon, Berlin 1929-03-18

To tango tis theatrinas (Heropoulos) B21595 101706 Parlophon, Berlin, 12 May 1931

Tosca (Puccini) E lucevan les stelle P. 1482-I 5821 Parlophon, Berlin 1922

Tosca (Puccini) Recondita armonia P1630 2-5819 Parlophon, Berlin 1922-04-05

Tosca (Puccini) Tu, di tua man l’uccidesti… O dolci mani P. 1630-II 5820 Parlophon, Berlin 1922

Traviata (Verdi) De miei bollenti spiriti P1530-II 5942 Parlophon, Berlin 1922

Traviata (Verdi) Lun ge da lei… De miei bollenti spiriti 06003 1733-AAX Kristall, Berlin 1927

Trovatore (Verdi) Ah sì, ben mio coll’essere 3-8667  51874 Homokord, Berlin 1925

Trovatore (Verdi) Ah sì, ben mio coll’essere 03663 1735AA Vox, Berlin 1927-03

Un ballo in maschera (Verdi) Di’ tu se fedele B8534 51616 Homocord, Berlin, 16 June 1924

Vieni sul mar (trad) B17535 36601 Parlophon, Berlin 1928-10-31

Werther (Massenet) Ah non mi ridestar 58506 20813 Parlophon, Berlin 1928-06-11