Description

CARLO CAFFETTO (VERONA, 1869 – LONDON, 1909)

 

 

 

 

Carlo Caffetto made his debut at a very young age around 1890 and immediately sang important roles.

He is described by the Veronese historian Gajoni-Berti as “a dramatic tenor who, alongside the greatest extension, combined a strength and elasticity of the vocal cords that gave him the resonant breadth of a baritone. In the last years of his career, in fact, he gave numerous concerts singing in the baritone clef, but he was the classic powerful tenor who sang with all his capital, not merely with the interests. He was Otello, he was Raoul, he was Manrico, he was Arnoldo, he was Alvaro, he was Pollione, he was Radamès.
His intensity of sound reached the utmost level of dramatic expression, and those characters which even then were the greatest challenge for tenors, Caffetto had so thoroughly assimilated that he was regarded as one of their most sought-after and highly esteemed interpreters.
Tall and imposing in person, he knew how to command the attention of audiences with stagecraft worthy of the highest regard, which made him a truly excellent artist whom critics could only admire with respect.
In addition to the mentioned operas, he also stood out in Samson et Dalila and other works from the great repertoire.”

Another historian, Lenotti, reports:

“It is said that, when he performed Bellini’s Norma in 1902 at the Ristori Theatre in Verona, the public’s fanaticism to hear him was extraordinary; and one evening, an armed guard had to rush in to control the crowd that was thronging around the theatre to get inside. He had also sung in 1891 in Halévy’s La Juive, with Navarrini.”

After taking his first steps in Veneto and Lombardy, he soon took flight towards the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and England, where he achieved remarkable popularity with a vast repertoire.

He also ventured into Wagner’s music, though only on a few occasions. In Italy, in that repertoire, he could be heard only in Genoa, in 1900, as Siegmund in Die Walküre, alongside Emma Zilli and Angelica Pandolfini.

His career, unfortunately, was brief, as it was cut short suddenly. Nevertheless, his records are still sought after today, especially in English-speaking countries.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

24 Feb 1900 Genova, Italy (Carlo Felice) Walkiria

16 Jan 1902 Genova, Italy (Politeama Genovese) Norma

4 mar 1904 Trieste (Teatro Verdi) Samson et Dalila

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Lucrezia Borgia (Donizetti) Di pescator ignobile 52472 877a Berliner, Milano 1900-07
2. Manon Lescaut (Puccini) Ah, Manon sempre la stessa 52485 881a Berliner, Milano 1900-07
3. Manon Lescaut (Puccini) Tra voi belle 52512 879a Berliner, Milano 1900-07
4. Mefistofele (Boito) Giunto sul passo estremo 52493 859a Berliner, Milano 1900-07
5. Norma (Bellini) Ah troppo tardi 52269 4304a G&T, Milano 1902-03
6. Norma (Bellini) Mecco all’altar… Me protegge G&T 52365 1685b, 52268 4305a G&T, Milano 1902-03
7. Otello (Verdi) Esultate & Ora e per sempre addio 52484 876a Berliner, Milano 1900-07
8. Otello (Verdi) Esultate!… Ora e per sempre addio 52338 1639b G&T, Milano 1902-03
9. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Vesti la giubba 52558 2763 Berliner, Milano 1899-07
10. Rigoletto (Verdi) Bella figlia dell’amore (1900-07-23) 52488 862a Berliner, Milano 1900-07
11. Rigoletto (Verdi) La donna è mobile 52491 863a Berliner, Milano 1900-07
12. Tosca (Puccini) E lucevan le stelle 52266 4272a G&T, Milano 1902-03
13. Trovatore (Verdi) Di quella pira 52494 855a Berliner, Milano 1900-07
14. Walküre (Wagner) Canto di primavera 37192 Xm461 Odeon, Milano 1905/1906
15. Walküre (Wagner) Tal mio nono 37193 Xm462 Odeon, Milano 19051906
16. Aida (Verdi) Se quel guerrier io fossi 52542 709a(509) Berliner, Milano 1900-06-26/28
17. Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) Addio alla madre 52517 764a(564) Berliner, Milano 1900-06-26/28
18. Norma (Bellini) Ah troppo tardi 52359 1684b G&T, Milano 1902-03
19. Norma (Bellini) Me protegge e me difende 52268 4305a G&T, Milano 1902