Description

APOLLO GRANFORTE (LEGNANO PRESSO, VERONA, 20 JULY, 1886 – GORGONZOLA, 11 JUNE, 1975)

 

 

 

 

Granforte emigrated to Argentina at a young age, where he initially worked as a shoemaker alongside his brother. His vocal talent was discovered, leading him to study under Guido Capocci and Nicola Guerrera in Buenos Aires. He made his stage debut in 1913 at the Teatro Politeama in Rosario as Germont in La Traviata.

During World War I, he returned to Italy and served on the Piave front. After the war, he began to gain prominence in the opera world, making guest appearances in Malta and Zurich in 1916, and achieving a sensational success at the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan in 1918. In 1922, he debuted at La Scala as Amfortas in Parsifal and also performed at the Arena di Verona. He appeared at the Teatro Regio in Turin in the premiere of Lualdi’s La Figlia del Re and made guest appearances in Paris.

Granforte’s international career continued with a tour of Australia with Nellie Melba in 1924, followed by a South American tour in 1924-25. He was heard as a guest in London in 1925 and returned to Australia in 1928 and 1934. He also performed at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires on July 12, 1929, in the premiere of Felipe Boero’s El Matrero as Don Liborio.

In the 1930s, he was involved in several premieres: Mascagni’s Nerone at La Scala on January 16, 1935, Malipiero’s Giulio Cesare at the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa on February 8, 1936, and Lino Liviabella’s Antigone at the Teatro Regio in Parma on December 29, 1942. He retired from the stage in 1943.

After World War II, Granforte was appointed as a professor at the conservatory in Ankara and briefly managed the national opera in Prague. He later settled in Milan as a pedagogue, where one of his notable students was the bass Raphael Arië.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1917 Roma  Teatro Costanzi Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro)

1919  Napoli  Teatro San Carlo Ballo in maschera (Renato)

1919 Vercelli  Teatro Verdi Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro)

1921  Milano  Teatro Carcano Carmen (Escamilio)

1921 Milano  Teatro Dal Verme Fanciulla del West (Rance)

1921  Padova  Teatro Garibaldi Carmen (Escamilio)

1922 Busto Arsizio  Politeama Rossini Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro)

1923 Santiago del Cile  Teatro Municipal Andrea Chenier (Gerard)

1923 Santiago del Cile  Teatro Municipal Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro)

1923  Santiago del Cile  Teatro Municipal Cavalleria Rusticana (Alfio)

1923  Valparaiso Teatro Victoria Cavalleria Rusticana (Alfio)

1924 Sidney  His Majesty’s Andrea Chenier (Gerard)

1924 Adelaide  Royal Theater Andrea Chenier (Gerard)

1924 Melbourne  His Majesty’s Andrea Chenier (Gerard)

1924 Melbourne  His Majesty’s Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro)

1924 Melbourne  His Majesty’s Carmen (Escamilio)

1925 Rio de Janeiro  Teatro Municipal Andrea Chenier (Gerard)

1925 Rio de Janeiro  Teatro Municipal Cavalleria Rusticana (Alfio)

1925  Buenos Ayres  Teatro Coliseo Cavalleria Rusticana (Alfio)

1925 San Paulo  Teatro Municipal Cavalleria Rusticana (Alfio)

1926 Catania  Teatro Bellini Andrea Chenier (Gerard)

1926 San Paolo  Teatro Municipal Andrea Chenier (Gerard)

1926  Rio de Janeiro  Teatro Municipal Cavalleria Rusticana (Alfio)

1929 Napoli  Teatro San Carlo Andrea Chenier (Gerard)

1929 Buenos Ayres  Teatro Colon Andrea Chenier (Gerard)

1929 Montevideo  Teatro Solis Andrea Chenier (Gerard)

1930 Torino Teatro Regio Andrea Chenier (Gerard)

1931 Casalmaggiore  Teatro Sociale Andrea Chenier (Gerard)

1932 Melbourne  Royal Theater Andrea Chenier (Gerard)

1938 Pavia  Castello Visconteo Andrea Chenier (Gerard)

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Rigoletto (Verdi) Cortigiani, vii razza dannata DB836 (2-052289) Cc5836-2 HMV, London 1925-03-04

Rigoletto (Verdi) La ra, la ra… Povero Rigoletto (w. Menni, Palaia & Ottavi) DB1450 (2-054294) CM849-2 HMV, Milano 1929-05-01

Rigoletto (Verdi) Lassu in cielo (w. Sanchioni) HMV DB1449 (32-1540) CM1558-1 HMV, Milano 1930-04-08

Rigoletto (Verdi) Pari siamo DB836 (2-052289) Cc5835-2 HMV, London 1925-03-04

Rigoletto (Verdi) Piangi, piangi, fanciulla (w. Sanchioni) DA1128 BM1561-1 HMV, Milano 1930-04-08

Rigoletto (Verdi) Sì, vendetta (w. Sanchioni & Masini) HMV DB1449 (32-1538) CM1560-3 HMV, Milano 1930-04-08

Rigoletto (Verdi) Signor… Va non ho niente (w. Zaccarini) DB 1475 32-1542 HMV, Milano 1930-05-06

Tannhauser (Wagner) O tu bell’astro DB1221 (2-052399) CF2536-2 HMV, Milano 1928-12-12

Traviata (Verdi) Di Provenza il mar Dr4658 Fonografia Nazionale, Milano 1924

Traviata (Verdi) Dite alla giovine (w. Rosza) DB1453 (32-1657) CM1647-3 HMV, Milano 1930-06-20

Trovatore (Verdi) Il balen DB1220 (2-052396) CF2551-1 HMV, Milano 1928-12-15

Trovatore (Verdi) Il balen E1074 Fonografia Nazionale, Milano 1924

Trovatore (Verdi) Per me ora fatale (w. Masini, Ferrari & chorus) DB1220 (2-054273) CF2528-2 HMV, Milano 1928-12-11

Visione Veneziana (Brogi) E1080 Fonografia Nazionale, Milano 1924

Zazà (Leoncavallo) Buona Zazà DA1053 (7-52432) BM808-1 HMV, Milano 1929-04-12

Zazà (Leoncavallo) Zazà, piccola zingara DA1053 (7-52433) BM1188-1 HMV, Milano 1929-10-29