Description

CESARE FORMICHI (ROME, APRIL 15, 1883 – ROME, JULY 21, 1949)

 

 

 

 

He studied in Rome with Lombardo, and made his debut in December 1907 at the Teatro Olimpia in Bologna as Lescaut in ‘’Manon’’. He went on to appear in Italy’s leading opera houses, including La Scalain Milan. Soon, he was accepting a string of engagements to sing outside Italy, notably in Kiev (in 1912), Buenos Aires (in 1914), Paris (1922), London (1924). He sang as first baritone at the Civic Opera House of Chicago  from 1922 to 1932. Notable roles of his included Ashton, Rigoletto, di Luna, Amonasro, Iago, and some Wagner parts sung in Italian (Klingsor, for example). Formichi possessed a big, rich-toned, important sounding voice which can be heard on the numerous acoustic and electrical recordings which he made during the peak of his career.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1907 Bologna Teatro Olimpia Manon (Lescaut)

1908 Bologna Teatro Olimpia Carmen (Escamillo)

1909  Napoli Teatro San Carlo Aida (Amonasro)

1910 Chicago Auditorium Boheme (Marcello)

1911 Genova Teatro Carlo Felice Germania (Worms)

1912 Padova Teatro Verdi Andrea Chenier (Gerard)

1913 Cremona Teatro Ponchielli Isabeau (Re Raimondo)

1914 Barcellona Teatro Liceo Parsifal (Klingsor)

1915 Firenze Politeama Fiorentino Dannazione di Faust (Mefistofele)

1916 Palermo Teatro Massimo Fanciulla del West (Rance)

1917 Brescia Teatro Grande Falstaff (Falstaff)

1918 Bari Teatro Petruzzelli Andrea Chenier (Gerard)

1919 Ferrara Teatro Comunale Andrea Chenier (Gerard)

1920 Palermo Teatro Massimo Lohengrin (Tetralmondo)

1921 Madrid Teatro Reale Thais (Atanaele)

1922 Lisbona Teatro San Carlos Aida (Amonasro)

1923 Chicago Civic Opera House Sansone e Dalida (Gran Sacerdote)

1924 Londra Covent Garden Boheme (Marcello)

1925 Madrid Teatro Reale Thais (Atanaele)

1926 Milano Teatro alla Scala Aida (Amonasro)

1927 Chicago Civic Opera House Judith di A. Honegger (Holophernes)

1928 Chicago Civic Opera House Resurrezione di F. Alfano (Simonson)

1929 Chicago Civic Opera House Judith di A. Honegger (Holophernes)

1930 Chicago Civic Opera House Carmen (Escamillo)

1931 Chicago Civic Opera House Aida (Amonasro)

1932 Chicago Civic Opera House Carmen (Escamillo)

1933 Parma Teatro Reale Walkiria (Wotan)

1934 Oslo Teatro Reale Tosca (Scarpia)

1935 Vienna Hohe Warte Andrea Chenier (Gerard)

1937 Napoli Teatro San Carlo Giuditta di A. Honegger (Oloferne)

1947 Venezia Teatro La Fenice Boheme (Marcello)

 

TRACKLIST

 

Sora mia (De Curtis) D4435 41821 Columbia

Stabat Mater (Rossini)  Pro peccatis D4935 70552 Columbia, Milano

Suspiranno (Nardella) D670 41824 Columbia

Tannhauser (Wagner) O tu bell’astro D5509 11177 Columbia, Milano 1911

Thais (Massenet) Helas enfant encore D 1490 A 893 Columbia, Milano

Thais (Massenet) Voila donc la terrible cite D1490 A892 Columbia, Milano

Tosca (Puccini) Ella verra D9293 11460 Columbia, Milano 1913

Tosca (Puccini) Ella verra L1949 AX3043 Columbia, London

Tosca (Puccini) Gia mi dicono venal E1805 41750 Columbia, Milano 1913

Tosca (Puccini) Tre sbirri, una carrozza L1579 WAX2744 Columbia, Milano

Traviata (Verdi) Di Provenza il mar D5523 70464 Columbia, Milano

Traviata (Verdi) Di Provenza il mar E2072 11167 Columbia

Traviata (Verdi) Prendi, questa e l’immagine (w. Cattorini & Bendinelli) D4391 11452 Columbia, Milano

Trovatore (Verdi) Il balen E2058 11169 Columbia, Milano 1911

Trovatore (Verdi) Mira d’acerbe lagrime, pt 1 (w. Chelotti) D4350 11300 Columbia, Milano 19121913

Trovatore (Verdi) Mira d’acerbe lagrime, pt 2 (w. Chelotti) D4350 11301 Columbia, Milano 19121913

Trovatore (Verdi) Vivra contende il giubilo (w. Chelotti) D4352 11308 Columbia, Milano 19121913

Walkiria (Wagner) Incantesimo  del fuoco D815 70543 Columbia, Milano

Walkiria (Wagner) Quest’occhi tuol D815 70544 Columbia, Milano

Zulma (Romani) Sei cosi bella D4345 11210 Columbia, Milano