Description

VINCENZO BETTONI (MELEGNANO, 1 JULY, 1881 – MILAN, 4 NOVEMBER, 1954)

 

 

 

 

Bettoni made his stage debut in 1902 at the Teatro Sociale of Pinerolo as Silva in Ernani. Over the following decades he established a distinguished career in Italy and abroad, particularly noted for his association with La Scala, Milan, where he was a soloist from 1926 to 1940.

In 1929 he appeared at the Teatro Verdi in Pisa in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Lucia di Lammermoor, and Rigoletto. That same year he achieved great success at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, singing Mustafa in Rossini’s L’italiana in Algeri alongside Conchita Supervia and Nino Ederle, under the direction of Tullio Serafin. The production was repeated the following year at the Opéra Garnier in Paris.

In 1934 Bettoni took part in the world premiere of Louis Rocca’s Il Dibuk at La Scala, singing the role of Reb Ezriel. That same year he was invited to the Glyndebourne Festival Opera, where he sang Don Alfonso in Mozart’s Così fan tutte. In 1935 he appeared at Covent Garden, London, performing in L’italiana in Algeri, La Cenerentola, La Bohème, and Un ballo in maschera.

His career also encompassed important premieres: Amadeo Vives’s Los Bohemos and Conrado del Campo y Zabaleta’s work (Madrid, 1920), Franco Alfano’s Madonna Imperia (1927), Jacopo Napoli’s Il malato immaginario (Madrid, 1936), and Felice Lattuada’s La caverna di Salamanca (1942).

Bettoni remained active on stage until around 1950, when he retired after a long and versatile career.

 

Selected Chronology of Appearances

 

1902 Pinerolo, Teatro Sociale – Ernani (Silva)

1905 Venice, Teatro La Fenice – Germania

1910 Cairo, Teatro Khediviale – Andrea Chénier (Roucher)

1913 Chieti, Teatro Marruccino – Mefistofele (Mefistofele)

1915 Bergamo, Teatro Donizetti – La Gioconda (Alvise)

1917 Florence, Teatro Verdi – La Favorita (Baldassarre)

1919 Madrid, Teatro Real – La Gioconda (Alvise)

1921 Santiago de Chile, Teatro Municipal – Stagione

1925 Venice, Teatro La Fenice – Mefistofele (Mefistofele)

1927 Turin, Teatro di Torino – L’italiana in Algeri (Mustafa)

1929 Genoa, Teatro Carlo Felice – Parsifal (Gurnemanz)

1932 Pesaro, Teatro Rossini – Iris (Il Cieco)

1935 Genoa, Teatro Carlo Felice – I Quattro Rusteghi

1937 Florence, Teatro Comunale – Il signor Bruschino

1939 Milan, La Scala – Fidelio (Rocco)

1941 Parma, Teatro Regio – Ghirlino by L. Ferrari Trecate (Cuordisasso)

1944 Como, Teatro Sociale – Don Pasquale (Don Pasquale)

1948 Genoa, Teatro Grattacielo – Ghirlino (Cuordisasso)

1950 Milan, La Scala – I Quattro Rusteghi

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Isabeau (Mascagni) Finestre cieche (w. chorus) 052344 02346v Gramophone, Milano 1912-03-06

Italiana in Algeri (Rossini) Oh, che muso (w. Supervia) 120200 XXS4598 Fonotipia, Barcelona 1928-02-11

Italiana in Algeri (Rossini) Per lui che adoro (w. Scattola, Supervia & Ederle) 120200 XXS4617 Fonotipia, Milano 1928

Lombardi (Verdi) Qui posa il fianco…. Qual voluttà trascorrere (w. Tommasini & Dalla Rizza) D4519, D4519, 42068, 42067 Columbia, Milano 19131914

Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) Chi mi frena (w. Giovanelli, Lussardi & Dianna) 55043 Victor, USA

Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) Maledizione (w. Maggi, De Gregorio & Pereira) 68454 610aj Victor, USA

Mefistofele (Boito) Son lo spirito che nega E1875 42035 Columbia, 1910-1914

Mefistofele (Boito) Spunta l’aurora (w. Caprile & chorus) 054385 02345v Gramophone, Milano 1912-03-06

Messa di requiem (Verdi) Confutatis E5166 74763 Columbia, 1916-1923

Mignon (Thomas) Leggiadre rondinelle (w. Supervia) 120191 XXPh6456-2 Fonotipia, Milano 1929-02-08

Norma (Bellini) Qual cor tradisti… Deh! non volerli vittime (w. Barbieri & Castellani) 054415, 582aj, 054416, 575aj Gramophone, Milano 1913-

Tosca (Puccini) 14) Tosca è un buon falco (w. Bettoni) 2-0252010 3235c Gramophone, Milano 1918-06-11

Tosca (Puccini) 18) Ed or fra noi parliamo (w. Zani, Broccardi & Remondini) 2-0254073 3212c Gramophone, Milano 1918-06-04

Trovatore (Verdi) All’erta, all’erta… Sull’orlo dei tetti (w. chorus) 052393, 052394, 576aj, 577aj Gramophone, Milano 1913-02-26

Trovatore (Verdi) E degg’io (w. Baldini, de Muro, R. Janni & chorus) 2-054057 746m Gramophone, Milano 1914-03-31