Description

LUIGI ROSSI-MORELLI (SARSINA, 1887 – IMOLA, 1940)

 

 

 

 

He studied in Rome with Antonio Cotogni. In 1913, he made his debut at the Teatro Grande in Brescia as Wotan in Die Walküre. In 1914, he achieved his first major success as Klingsor in the premiere of Wagner’s Parsifal at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo. In 1915, Rossi-Morelli appeared at the Teatro Regio in Turin in the Italian premiere of Giordano’s Madame Sans-Gêne. In 1918, he performed as a guest artist at the Teatro Liceo in Barcelona.

In 1921, he sang at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome in Tristan und Isolde, Carmen, La Fanciulla del West, and Aida. In 1923, he performed at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo, and in 1924, at the Teatro Dal Verme. In 1926, Rossi-Morelli returned to the Teatro Costanzi as Wotan in Die Walküre. In 1928, he sang the same role at La Scala with Frida Leider, and also performed as Pizarro in Fidelio.

From that point onward, he was regarded as the most significant Wagnerian baritone in Italy. He appeared repeatedly at La Scala, including in the premieres of Wolf-Ferrari’s Sly, Renzo Bianchi’s Proserpina (March 23, 1938), and Franco Vittadini’s La Sagredo (April 27, 1930).

In 1935 and 1937, he performed with the Italian opera in Holland. In 1937, he returned to Rome to sing Amfortas in Parsifal. In 1940, he gave his final performance, singing Pizarro in Fidelio at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo.

Rossi-Morelli also enjoyed great success in South America, performing at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, as well as in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1913 Brescia Teatro Grande Walkiria (Wotan)

1914 Palermo Teatro Massimo Parsifal (Klingsor)

1915 Milano Teatro Dal Verme Madame Sans-Gene (Fouchè)

1916 Reggio Emilia Teatro Municipale Aida (Amonasro)

1917 Venezia Teatro Rossini Isabeau (Re Raimondo)

1918 Madrid Teatro Reale Cavalleria rusticana (Alfio)

1921 Rome Teatro Costanzi Tristano e Isotta (Kurvenaldo)

1923 Palermo Teatro Massimo Tosca (Scarpia)

1924 Milano Teatro Dal Verme Aida (Amonasro)

1925 Imola Teatro Modernissimo Tosca (Scarpia)

1930 Milan La Scala La Sagredo (Alvise)

1938 Milan La Scala Proserpina (Polifemo)

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Die Walküre (Wagner) Addio sublime prole d’eroi D 5823 WB 1877 Columbia 1928
2. Tannhäuser (Wagner) O tu bell’astro D 5799 B1822 Columbia 1928
3. Carmen (Bizet) Con voi ber (Votre toast) DQ259 WB 1825 Columbia 1928
4. Aida (Verdi) Quest’assisa ch’io vesto vi dica DQ259 WB 1808 Columbia 1928
5. Tosca (Puccini) Elle vera D11564 WB 1840 Columbia 1928
6. Die Walküre (Wagner) Questi occhi fulgidi ognor D 5823 WB 1878 Columbia 1928
7. Otello (Verdi) Credo DQ 260 WB1829 Columbia 1928