Description

CARLO BROCCARDI (ALESSANDRIA, 1886 – MILAN, 1953)

 

 

 

He was an Italian operatic tenor who enjoyed an active international career during the early 20th century. Notably, he participated in the first complete recordings of Giuseppe Verdi’s Rigoletto (1915, as the Duke of Mantua) and Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca (1919, as Cavaradossi), both for His Master’s Voice. He also recorded for the Fonografia Nazionale and Kalliope labels.

Broccardi studied singing in Milan under Antonio Aversa and made his professional opera debut in 1911 at the Teatro Corso in Bologna as the title character in Richard Wagner’s Lohengrin. He quickly secured engagements with major opera houses across Italy, including the Teatro Carlo Felice, Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Teatro di San Carlo, and Teatro Regio di Torino.

In 1919, he debuted at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome as the Duke of Mantua in Verdi’s Rigoletto. In 1922, he performed alongside Toti dal Monte at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo, portraying roles such as the Duke of Mantua, Giuseppe Hagenbach in Alfredo Catalani’s La Wally, and Pinkerton in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. In 1924, he sang the role of Osaka in Pietro Mascagni’s Iris at the Teatro Municipale in Piacenza, and in 1925, he portrayed Enzo Grimaldo in La Gioconda at La Fenice, opposite Tina Poli-Randaccio in the title role.

Broccardi made his debut at La Scala in Milan and the Liceu in Barcelona in 1926, and that same year, he undertook a concert tour of Spain. He also appeared as a guest artist at the Teatro Colón and other South American theatres throughout the 1920s. He retired from the stage in the early 1930s and became a resident at the Casa di Riposo per Musicisti in 1951.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1911 Bologna Teatro Del Corso Lohengrin (Lohengrin)

1912 Roma Teatro Adriano La Vendetta Corsa di A. Marsick

1913 Genova Politeama Genovese Lucia di Lammermoor (Edgardo)

1914 Cremona Teatro Ponchielli Rigoletto (Duca)

1915 Palermo Teatro Massimo Concerto

1916 Barcellona Teatro Liceo Rigoletto (Duca)

1917 Udine Aperto al fronte Concerto

1918 Roma Teatro Costanzi Rigoletto (Duca)

1919 Venezia Teatro Rossini Lucia di Lammermoor (Edgardo)

1920 Bari Teatro Petruzzelli Mefistofele (Faust)

1921 Livorno Teatro Avvalorati Lodoletta (Flammen)

1922 Genova Politeama Genovese Mefistofele (Faust)

1923 Reggio Emilia Teatro Municipale Gioconda (Enzo)

1924 Genova Teatro Carlo Felice Iris (Osaka)

1925 Torino Teatro Regio Rigoletto (Duca)

1927 Milano Politeama Milanese Rigoletto (Duca)

1928 Genova Teatro Ligure della Certosa Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)

1930 Fano Teatro Della Fortuna Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)

1931 Savona Teatro Chiabrera Rigoletto (Duca)

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Rigoletto (Verdi) La donna è mobile B3003 3003 Fonotecnica
2. Rigoletto (Verdi) Questa o quella B3004 3004 Fonotecnica
3. 4. Mefistofele (Boito) Cavaliere illustre e saggio… Dimmi se credi (w. Zamboni & Donaggio) 4717, 4718 Fonografia Nazionale
4. Fanciulla del West (Puccini) Ch’ella mi creda 7-252170 R 5201 Gramophone, Milano 4-19
5. Tosca (Puccini) Com’è lunga l’attesa (w. Remondini & Plinio) 2-0254081 3253c Gramophone, Milano 19-6-18
6. Tosca (Puccini) Dilla ancora la parola (w. Remondini) 7-254066 20105b Gramophone, Milano 4-6-18
7. Tosca (Puccini) Dov’e’ dunque Angelotti (w. Zani, Remondini & Plinio) 7-254069 20130b Gramophone, Milano 19-6-18
8. Tosca (Puccini) Eccellenza, vado (w. Carnevali, Remondini & Rizzo) 2-0254064 3329c Gramophone, Milano 1918-11-20
9. Tosca (Puccini) Ed ora noi parliamo (w. Zani & Remondini) 2-0254073 3212c Gramophone, Milano 1918-06-04
10. Tosca (Puccini) Ora stammi a sentire (w. Remondini) 2-0254065 3328c Gramophone, Milano 19-11-18
11. Tosca (Puccini) Orsù Tosca parlate (w. Zani & Remondini) 2-0254074 3257c Gramophone, Milano 1918-06-20
12. Tosca (Puccini) Senti..l’ora è vicina (w. Remondini & Plinio) 2-0254080 3216c Gramophone, Milano 5-6-18
13. Tosca (Puccini) Vi e’ noto che in prigione (w. Zani, Remondini & Plinio) 7-254068 20117b Gramophone, Milano 1918-06-15
14. Fedora (Giordano) Amor ti vieta 4715 Fonografia Nazionale
15. Fedora (Giordano) Vedi, io piango 4716 Fonografia Nazionale