Description

FRANCESCO CIGADA (BERGAMO, 3 OCTOBER, 1878 – CAPRINO/BERGAMASCO, 6 AUGUST, 1966)

 

 

 

 

He studied singing with Vincenzo Sabatini and made his debut in 1900 at Trieste as Germont in Verdi’s La Traviata. From 1906 to 1908, he appeared at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome, performing in operas such as Il Trovatore, Das Rheingold, Otello, Tosca, Carmen, Faust, and La Bohème. In 1914, he sang the role of Giovanni in the world premiere of Zandonai’s opera Francesco da Rimini, a role he also created later that year at Covent Garden in London. His debut at La Scala came in 1918, where he performed as Amonasro in Verdi’s Aida. In 1920, Cigada made a guest appearance at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, singing Kurwenal in Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde. He retired from the stage at the age of 46 after the tragic death of his 20-year-old daughter and lived the rest of his life in his native Bergamo.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1900 Sondrio Teatro Sociale Favorita (Alfonso)

1900 Lonigo Teatro Comunale Cavalleria Rusticana (Alfio)

1901 Trento Teatro Sociale Boheme (Marcello)

1901 Citta del Messico Teatro Principal Boheme (Marcello)

1901 Citta del Messico Teatro Principal Boheme (Marcello (Leoncavallo)

1901 Citta del Messico Teatro Principal Ernani (Don Carlo)

1902 La Valletta/Malta  Teatro Reale Boheme (Marcello)

1902 Portogruaro Teatro Sociale Ernani (Don Carlo)

1903 Rio de Janeiro  Teatro Lirico Carmen (Escamilio)

1903 La Valletta/Malta Teatro Reale Cavalleria Rusticana (Alfio)

1903 Rio de Janeiro  Teatro San Pedro Cavalleria Rusticana (Alfio)

1906 Roma Teatro Costanzi Amica (Rinaldo)

1906 Roma Teatro Costanzi Dannazione di Faust (Mefistofele)

1907 Roma  Teatro Costanzi Boheme (Marcello)

1907 Roma Teatro Costanzi Carmen (Escamilio)

1906 Genova Politeama Genovese  Andrea Chenier (Gerard)

1907 Brescia Teatro Grande Amica  (Rinaldo)

1907 Genova Politeama Genovese Carmen (Escamilio)

1909 Madrid Teatro Reale Carmen (Escamilio)

1909 Madrid Teatro Reale Lohengrin (Tetralmondo)

1910 Madrid  Teatro Reale Boheme (Marcello)

1911 Bari Teatro Petruzzelli Carmen (Escamilio)

1911 Lecce Politeama Greco Carmen (Escamilio)

1914 Trieste  Teatro Verdi Gioconda (Barnaba)

1914 Torino Teatro Regio Francesco da Rimini (Giovanni)

1914 Londra Covent Garden Francesco da Rimini (Giovanni)

1915 Napoli Teatro San Carlo Gioconda (Barnaba)

1915 Torino  Teatro Regio Francesco da Rimini (Giovanni)

1916 Madrid Teatro Reale Boheme (Marcello)

1919 Bergamo  Teatro Donizetti Andrea Chenier (Gerard)

1920 Milano Teatro Dal Verme Andrea Chenier (Gerard)

1920 Trieste Teatro Verdi Gioconda (Barnaba)

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Africana (Meyerbeer) Adamastor 62407 Victor, USA 1906-05
2. Africana (Meyerbeer) Quando amor m’accende 2-52440 9281b G&T, Milano 1905-10
3. Ballo in maschera (Verdi) Di che fulgor (w. Huguet, Grisi & Ottoboni) 54302 8081½b G&T, Milano 1906-05
4. Ballo in maschera (Verdi) Eri tu 58341 Victor, USA 1906-05
5. Ballo in Maschera (Verdi) O figlio d’inghilterra (w. Sillich, Salvador & Huguet) 52546 Victor, USA 1907-06
6. Carmen (Bizet) Canzone del Toreador (w. Huguet & Salvador) 62618 Victor, USA 1907-06
7. Carmen (Bizet) Mia tu sei (w. Paoli, Salvador & Huguet) 054162 120412c G&T, Milano 1907-06
8. Carmen (Bizet) Se tu m’ami (w. Salvador) 62102 Victor, USA 1907-06
9. Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) A voi tutti salute (w. de Tura & chorus) 054144 1206c G&T, Milano 1907-06
10. Traviata (Verdi) Prendi, quest’è l’imagine (w. de Tura & Piccoletti) 54344 10588b G&T, Milano 1907-06
11. Chatterton (Leoncavallo) Ah! Mistress (w. Granados) 54396 11214b Gramophone, Milano 1908-05
12. Chatterton (Leoncavallo) Charley! Olger! (w. Quinzi-Tapergi) 5438711204b Gramophone, Milano 1908-05
13. Chatterton (Leoncavallo) Che parla mei (w. Granados) 54395 11215b Gramophone, Milano 1908-05
14. Chatterton (Leoncavallo) Dacche sei giunto (w. Granados & Quinzi-Tapergi) 054235 1461c Gramophone, Milano 1908-05
15. Chatterton (Leoncavallo) E finito, mio Dio (w. Granados) 543941 1212b Gramophone, Milano 1908-05
16. Chatterton (Leoncavallo) Gli amici suoi perche (w. Granados & de Frate) 054236 1470c Gramophone, Milano 1908-05