Description

GIUSEPPE DANISE (NAPLES, 11 JANUAY, 1883 – NEW YORK, 9 JANUARY, 1963)

 

 

 

 

He studied singing under the pedagogues Luigi Colonnesi and Abramo Petillo in Naples and made his debut in 1906 at the Teatro Bellini in Naples as Alfio in Cavalleria Rusticana. His career took off in 1913 with performances at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo, where he excelled in Pietro Mascagni’s Isabeau and Ruggiero Leoncavallo’s La Bohème. That same year, he participated in the Verdi centennial celebrations at the Teatro Regio in Parma, performing as Posa in Don Carlo, and took part in the inaugural festival at the Arena di Verona as Amonasro in Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida.

In 1915, he performed at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome in the premiere of Mario Mariotti’s opera Una Tragedia Fiorentina. Beginning in 1915, he became a regular guest artist at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, returning almost annually. During the 1915-1917 seasons, he enjoyed great success at La Scala in Milan, where he sang in the premieres of Alexander Borodin’s Prince Igor (in the title role), Riccardo Zandonai’s Francesca da Rimini (1916), and Victor de Sabata’s Macigno (1917). In 1918, he was featured in the premiere of Vincenzo Michetti’s opera Maria di Magdala at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome.

In 1920, he joined the ensemble of the Metropolitan Opera in New York, making his debut as Amonasro in Aida. He remained at the Met until 1932, performing in several premieres, including Umberto Giordano’s Andrea Chénier (1921), Édouard Lalo’s Le roi d’Ys (1922), Alfredo Catalani’s Loreley (1922), and Raoul Laparra’s La Habanéra (1924). His tenure at the Met ended in 1932 when he revoked his contract due to salary cuts imposed by the management during the economic crisis. He also appeared at the Ravinia Summer Opera near Chicago from 1922 to 1931.

After leaving the Met, he returned to Italy and resumed his career at La Scala, where he performed roles such as Scarpia in Tosca and Alfonso in Donizetti’s La Favorita. In 1933, he sang Telramund in Wagner’s Lohengrin under the direction of Max von Schillings at the Teatro Regio in Turin. That same year, he performed in Tosca at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo. In 1935, he sang in La Favorita at the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa.

During the 1935-1937 seasons, he appeared at the Opera House in Rio de Janeiro, performing in Tosca, Rigoletto, and Francesca da Rimini by Zandonai. His last role there was Germont in Verdi’s La Traviata, performing alongside Bidu Sayão. After World War II, he returned to North America, and in 1947, he married the Brazilian soprano Bidu Sayão. They lived temporarily in Brazil and then in New York, where he became a respected teacher, counting among his students the renowned soprano Regina Resnik.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

Carlo Gérard 3/1/1921, Valentin 4/12/1921, Lord Enrico Asthon 11/29/1921, Don Carlo 12/13/1921, Karnac 1/10/1922, Carlo Gérard 3/21/1922, Herrmann 12/26/1922, Rigoletto 2/6/1923, Nélusko 4/17/1923, David 11/27/1923, Nélusko 1/22/1924, Ramón 3/4/1924, Guillaume Tell 3/25/1924, Giorgio Germont 4/1/1924, Barnaba 12/9/1924, Carlo Gérard 1/20/1925, Marcello 2/24/1925, Rivegas 3/24/1925, Amonasro 4/14/1925, Nélusko 12/1/1925, Amonasro 12/15/1925, Figaro 1/12/1926, Rafaele 1/19/1926, Barnaba 3/23/1926, Nélusko 11/9/1926, Rigoletto 1/18/1927, Barnaba 11/1/1927, Amonasro 11/22/1927, Marcello 11/29/1927, Valentin 1/17/1928, Rigoletto 3/20/1928, Carlo Gérard 10/30/1928, Don Carlo 12/11/1928, Tonio 12/18/1928, Amonasro 2/12/1929, Lord Enrico Asthon 1/7/1930, Amonasro 4/1/1930, Tonio 4/8/1930, Barnaba 10/28/1930, Jack Rance 11/4/1930, Guillaume Tell 4/7/1931, Tonio 12/8/1931 (in Filadelfia)

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Andrea Chénier (Giordano) Nemico della patria 50079 XE18691 Brunswick, New York 1926-04-06
2. Andrea Chénier (Giordano) Nemico della patria! 30007 X5447 Brunswick, New York 1921-04
3. Ave Maria (Carnevali) Brunswick (10239) E18631 Brunswick, New York 1926-04-01
4. Ballo in maschera (Verdi) Eri tu 30012 X5355 Brunswick, New York 1921-04
5. Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) Largo al factotum 50013 X5450 Brunswick, New York 1921-04
6. Canta il mare 10237 E18629 Brunswick, New York 1926-04-01
7. Canta pe’ me (de Curtis) 30102 X9956 Brunswick, New York 1923-02-20
8. Core ‘ngrato (Cardillo) 30102 X9917 Brunswick, New York 1923-02-14
9. El Ukhnem (The song of the Volga boatmen) (trad) 10150 12837 Brunswick, New York 1924-08-09
10. Ernani (Verdi) O de’ verd’anni miei 50013 X7264 Brunswick, New York 1922-01
11. Eternamente (For all eternity) 10237 E18549 Brunswick, New York 1926-03-25
12. Faust (Gounod) Avant de quitter 30008 X5324 Brunswick, New York 1921-04
13. Fortunio (Offenbach) Chanson de Fortunio 10238 E18551 Brunswick, New York 1926-03-25
14. Forza del destino (Verdi) Urna fatale 15045 7808 Brunswick, New York 1922-04
15. Hérodiade (Massenet) Vison fugitive 15045 7613 Brunswick, New York 1922-03
16. Jongleur de Notre-Dame (Massenet) Légende de la sauge 50082 XE18673 Brunswick, New York 1926-04-05
17. La campana di San Giusto (Arona) 10283 E23057 Brunswick, New York 1927-05-09
18. La danza (Tarantelle) (Rossini) 50011 X7469 Brunswick, New York 1922-02
19. La maison grise 10181 15121 Brunswick, New York 1925-03-11
20. La paloma (Yradier) 30100 X8160 Brunswick, New York 1922-05
21. La paloma (Yradier) 30117 XE18838 Brunswick, New York 1926-04-20
22. La Partida (Alvarez) 50011 X7263 Brunswick, New York 1922-01
23. Le Régiment de Sambre et Meuse (Planquette) 10238 E18576 Brunswick, New York 1926-03-26