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. Morgen (Strauss) LB22 Columbia
2. My lovely Celia (Wilson) LB 24 Columbia
3. O del mio amato ben (Donaudy) LX 422 Columbia
4. Orontea (Cesti) Intorno all’idol mio Private record 1941
5. Piscatore’e Pusilleco (Tagliaferri) LX 422 Columbia
6. Princessita (Padilla) GQ7144 B3404 Columbia, Milan  1930-05-16
7. Puritani (Bellini) A te, o cara D1004 70686 Columbia, Milano
8. Puritani (Bellini) Vieni fra queste braccia with Ena Surinach D 5036 B 20 Columbia, Milano 1923
9. Rigoletto (Verdi) La donna e mobile 70671 D4962 Columbia
10. Sonnambula (Bellini) Preni l’anel ti dono  D12590 B1814 Columbia
11. Rigoletto (Verdi) Questa o quella  D12544 B1282 Columbia
12. Rigoletto (Verdi) Questa o quella 70664, D4962 Columbia
13. Rigoletto E il sol del anima with Maria Gentile  D18026 BX99  Columbia, Milano 1927
14. Sadko (Rimsky-Korsakov) Chant hindou D12573 B1807 Columbia, Milano 1928
15. Serenata napolitana (Billi) D5104 B266 Columbia
16. Songs my mother taught me  (Dvorak) LB22 Columbia
17. Sonnambula (Bellini) D’un pensiero with Ena Surinach D 5035 B 27 Columbia, Milan  1927-04-14
18. Sonnambula (Bellini) D’un pensiero with Maria Gentile and Gina Pedroni D18016 BX105  Columbia
19. Sonnambula (Bellini) Prendi l’anel ti dono D5037 70743 Columbia, Milano 1921
20. Sonnambula (Bellini) Son geloso with Ena Surinach  D 5035 B19 Columbia, Milano 1923
21. Traviata (Verdi)  Parigi, o cara with Ena Surinach  D5105 B269 Columbia, Milano 1924
22. Traviata (Verdi)  Un di, felice with Ena Surinach D5105 B268 Columbia, Milano 1924
23. Traviata (Verdi) Dei miei bollenti D12550 B1298 Columbia, Milano 1927.
24. Traviata (Verdi) Lunge da lei… De’miei bollenti spiriti  D1503  B274 Columbia, Milano 1924