Description

DINO BORGIOLI (FLORENCE, ITALY, FEBRUARY 15, 1891 – FLORENCE, ITALY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1960)

 

 

 

 

He was an Italian lyric tenor. Praised by critics for his musicianship, he was particularly associated with roles in operas composed by Mozart, Rossini, and Donizetti. Dino Borgioli studied with Eugenio Giachetti in Florence, and made his operatic debut in 1914, as Arturo in I puritani, at the Teatro Corso in Milan. He then sang the role of Fernand in La favorite at the Teatro Dal Verme, before making his La Scala debut in 1918 as Ernesto in Don Pasquale. In 1924, he was the lead tenor in the Melba-Williamson Grand Opera tour of Australia, opening the Sydney season opposite Melba in La bohème. On the international scene, Borgioli debuted at the Royal Opera House in London, as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, opposite Toti Dal Monte in 1925—and at the Glyndebourne Festival where he sang as Ottavio in Don Giovanni, and as Ernesto. He also appeared in Paris, at both the Opéra-Comique and the Palais Garnier, as Almaviva in The Barber of Seville, Ramiro in La Cenerentola, the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto, Ottavio, Edgardo and des Grieux in Manon. The role of Cavaradossi in Tosca was his debut role for both the San Francisco Opera in 1932, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago in 1933. He made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City on December 31, 1934, as Rodolfo in La bohème. Borgioli appeared there for one season only: his other roles were Ottavio and des Grieux (Massenet). Borgioli made a number of gramophone records which confirm the attractiveness of his lyric voice and the elegance of his phrasing. These qualities can be discerned in two famous complete recordings of Il barbiere di Siviglia and Rigoletto which he made in 1928, opposite the baritone Riccardo Stracciari. Nonetheless, he was still overshadowed in the theatre and on disc by another stylish tenore di grazia of his era in Tito Schipa. In 1949, Borgioli became director of vocal studies at the New Opera Company of London, where he directed stage productions of Il barbiere di Siviglia and La bohème. He died in Florence, aged 69.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1919 Palermo Teatro Massimo Boheme (Rodolfo)

1919 Barcelona Teatro Liceo Boheme (Rodolfo)

1919 Madrid Teatro Reale Boheme (Rodolfo)

1920 Madrid Teatro Reale Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1920 Lisbon Teatro San Carlo Boheme (Rodolfo)

1921 Buenos Aires Teatro Colon Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1922 Montecarlo Palais Garnier Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1922 San Sebastian Teatro Victoria Eugenia Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1922 Milano Teatro Dal Verme Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1923 Milano Teatro La Scala Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1923 Zurigo  Staatsoper Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1924 Milano Teatro La Scala Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1924 Sidney His Majesty’s Theater Boheme (Rodolfo)

1924 Melbourne Her Majesty’s Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1926 Rio de Janeiro Teatro Municipal Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1926 San Paolo Teatro Municipal Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1926 Il Cairo Kursaal Dalbagni Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1927 Mantova Teatro Sociale Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1927 Santiago del Cile Teatro Municipal Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1927 Milano Teatro La Scala Boheme (Rodolfo)

1928 Lisbon Coliseo Recrejos Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1928 Montecarlo Teatro del Casinò Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1929 Roma Teatro dell’Opera Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1930 Napoli Teatro San Carlo Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1930 Milano Teatro La Scala Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1931 Milano Teatro La Scala Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1931 Livorno Politeama Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1933 San Francisco Civic Auditorium Boheme (Rodolfo)

1940 Buenos Aires Teatro Colon Boheme (Rodolfo)

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Fedora Amor ti vieta D9432 B16 Columbia
2. Fior di campo (Pinelli) D12481 B803  Columbia
3. Gondoliera veneziana (Sadero)  LB29 Columbia
4. I pescatore di perle (Bizet) (Bizet)  Della mia vita D12580 B1830 Columbia, Milan  1928-02-18
5. I pescatore di perle (Bizet) (Bizet) Mi par d’udir ancora 70668 D4963 Columbia, Milano 1921
6. I pescatore di perle (Bizet) Dal tempio with Benvenuto Franci D5127 B249 Columbia
7. I pescatori di perle (Bizet) Dal tempio with Gino Vanelli D14710 BX247 Columbia, Milano 1928
8. Ideale (Tosti) D12481 B904  Columbia
9. La boheme (Puccini) Addio dolce svegliare D18045 BX240 Columbia, Milano 1928
10. La boheme (Puccini) Che gelida 70669 D9411 Columbia
11. La boheme (Puccini) Nei cieli bigi with Gino Vanelli D7024 B1806 Columbia, Milan  1928-02-10
12. La boheme (Puccini) O soave fanciulla  with Rosetta Pampanini D18045 BX248 Columbia, Milano 1928
13. La boheme O Mimi tu piu non with Gino Vanelli D12574 B1797 Columbia, Milano 1928
14. Leggenda orientale (Billi) D5104 B267  Columbia
15. L’elisir d’amore Una furtiva D18029 BX97 Columbia, Milan 1927-04-11
16. Lohengrin Merce, merce D12580 B1839 Columbia, Milano 1928
17. Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) Chi mi frena with Gino Vanelli, Maria Gentile, Salvatore Baccaloni, Giuseppe Nessi and Ida Mannarini D 18016 BX 104 Columbia, Milan  1927-04-15
18. Lucrezia Borgia (Donizetti) Di pescator D5106 B272 Columbia
19. Manon (Massenet) Il sogno D14710 BX243 Columbia, Milano 1928
20. Marinaresca (Borgioli) D12573 B1818 Columbia
21. Mefistofele (Boito) Giunto sul passo D5107 B247 Columbia
22. Mignon (Thomas) Addio Mignon  D5034 B17 Columbia
23. Mignon (Thomas) Ah non credevi tu  D5034 B14 Columbia