Description

GIUSEPPE VALDENGO (TURIN, MAY 24, 1914 – AOSTA, OCTOBER 3, 2007)

 

 

 

 

He originally intended to become an instrumental musician and studied cello, oboe, and English horn at the Turin Conservatory, but eventually turned to singing, studying with Michele Accoriuti. In 1936 he made his debut at the Teatro Sperimentale in Alessandria as Sharpless in Madama Butterfly. That same year he first attracted wider attention at the Teatro Regio in Parma as the title character in Le nozze di Figaro. In 1939 he was engaged by La Scala in Milan, but the outbreak of the Second World War interrupted his career. After being drafted into the Italian army, he served as an oboist in a military band.

In 1945 he returned immediately to La Scala, where he quickly established a strong reputation. In 1946 he undertook a North American tour and appeared at the New York City Centre Opera from 1946 to 1948, making his debut again as Sharpless in Madama Butterfly. In 1947 he made his Metropolitan Opera debut in New York as Tonio in Pagliacci. He remained a member of the Metropolitan Opera until 1954, singing 17 different roles in 90 performances over seven seasons at the New York house, including Marcello in La Bohème, Germont père in La Traviata, the Count in Le nozze di Figaro, and Belcore in L’elisir d’amore. His first role at the San Francisco Opera was Valentin in Gounod’s Faust in 1947.

During his 1947–48 NBC broadcasts, Toscanini assigned him the roles of Amonasro in Aida and Iago in Otello, and personally coached him in the title role of Verdi’s Falstaff. After leaving the Metropolitan Opera in 1954, he continued his career at major Italian opera houses. He sang the title role in Borodin’s Prince Igor at the Teatro Regio in Parma, Michonnet in Cilea’s Adriana Lecouvreur in Turin, and in 1961 appeared in Rome in the world premiere of Renzo Rossellini’s opera Uno sguardo dal ponte (The View from the Bridge). In 1955 he participated in the Glyndebourne Festival. Guest appearances took him to London, Paris, Vienna, Buenos Aires, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Rio de Janeiro, and many other musical centers.

Later in his career he increasingly favored buffo repertoire, including Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore, Giacomo in Auber’s Fra Diavolo, and operetta roles. He also appeared in sound films, portraying his famous predecessor Antonio Scotti in The Great Caruso. His stage career came to an end in the 1960s, after which he devoted himself extensively to teaching. He published Ho cantato con Toscanini (Rome–Milan, 1962).

 

TRACKLIST

 

Mattinata (Leoncavallo) Recorded in 1949 Decca LX 3019

Mia sposa sarà la mia bandiera (Rotoli) Recorded in 1949 Decca LX 3019

Occhi di fata (Denza) Recorded in 1949 Decca LX 3019

Otello (Verdi) Credo in un Dio crudel Recorded in 1947 RCA LM-6107

Otello (Verdi) Era la notte, Cassio dormia with Ramon Vinay Recorded in 1947 RCA LM-6107

Otello (Verdi) Innaffia l’ugola! Trinca, tracanna! with Virginia Assandri, Leslie Chabay Recorded in 1947 RCA LM-6107

Otello (Verdi) Si, pel ciel marmoreo giuro with Ramon Vinay Recorded in 1947 RCA LM-6107

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Si può Recorded in 1949 Decca X 303 LX 3005

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Si può? Recorded in 1951 Columbia SL-113

Rigoletto (Verdi) Cortigiani vil razza dannata Recorded in 1949 Decca X 304 LX 3005

Rigoletto (Verdi) Pari siamo Recorded in 1949 Decca X 304 LX 3005

Rondine al nido (De Crescenzio) Recorded in 1949 Decca LX 3019

Se (Denza) Recorded in 1949 Decca LX 3019

T’amo ancora (Tosti) Recorded in 1949 Decca LX 3020

Un ballo in maschera (Verdi) Alla vita che t’arride Recorded in 1954 Cetra LPC 1249

Un ballo in maschera (Verdi) Eri tu che macchiavi Recorded in 1954 Cetra LPC 1249

Visione veneziana (Brogi) Recorded in 1949 Decca LX 3019