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. Linda mia (trad) 10129 12582 Brunswick, New York 1924-02-28
2. Linda mia (trad) 15078 12588 Brunswick, New York 1924-02-28
3. L’ultima canzone (Tosti) 10128, 15064 Brunswick, New York 1924-02-08
4. Marechiare (Tosti) 10035 5448 Brunswick, New York 1921-04
5. Noche serena (trad) 15078 12496 Brunswick, New York 1924-02-08
6. Otello (Verdi) Credo in un Dio crudel 50004 X5353 Brunswick, New York 1921-04
7. Otello (Verdi) Credo in un Dio crudel 50079 XE18581 Brunswick, New York 1926-03-26
8. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Prologo 30020 X5325 Brunswick, New York 1921-04
9. Panis Angélicus (Franck) 30116 XE18839 Brunswick, New York 1926-04-20
10. Pietà Signore! (Stradella) 30109 X15119 Brunswick, New York 1925-03-11
11. Requiem du coeur 10181 15123 Brunswick, New York 1925-03-11
12. Roi de Lahore (Massenet) Promesse de mon avenir 50082 XE18671 Brunswick, New York 1926-04-05
13. Sérénade 15140 E18674 Brunswick, New York 1926-04-05
14. Sérénade Napolitaine 15140 E18633 Brunswick, New York 1926-04-01
15. Stabat Mater (Pergolesi) Quae Moerebat (10239) E18669 Brunswick, New York 1926-04-05
16. Torna a Surriento (de Curtis) 30117 XE18842 Brunswick, New York 1926-04-20
17. Traviata (Verdi) Di Provenza il mar 30010 X5323 Brunswick, New York 1921-04
18. Traviata (Verdi) Di Provenza il mar 50083 XE18694 Brunswick, New York 1926-04-06
19. Voi ed io (de Curtis) 10108 8995 Brunswick, New York 1922-10
20. When the King went forth to war (Koenemann) 10150 13972 Brunswick, New York 1924-10-16
21. Zazà (Leoncavallo) Buona Zazà 15025 8179 Brunswick, New York 1922-05
22. Zazà (Leoncavallo) Zazà, piccola zingara 15025 8182 Brunswick, New York 1922-05