Description

ELVINO MICHELE VENTURA (PALERMO, 1873 – MILAN, 1931)

 

 

 

 

He studied with Martin in Milan and made his debut in 1894 at the Teatro Epicarmo in Noto. He soon became widely recognized as one of the leading tenors in Italy. In 1896, he appeared at the Teatro Regio in Turin as Marziale in Buzzi-Peccia’s Forza dell’amore. In 1900, he sang the role of Alfredo in La Traviata at the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa.

The following year, Ventura appeared at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo as Osaka in Mascagni’s Iris, alongside Fausta Labia, wife of the famous tenor Emilio Perea; this became one of his most celebrated roles. In 1901, he created the role of Florindo in the premiere of Mascagni’s Le Maschere at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice.

In 1909, with the Castellano Opera Company, he performed in Holland and Belgium. Ventura appeared on nearly all the major Italian opera stages and also made guest appearances in London, Paris, Buenos Aires, Madrid, St. Petersburg, and Warsaw. According to Titta Ruffo’s book, Ruffo had the honor of singing La Traviata with Elvino Ventura and the soprano Pandolfini.

He was one of the most prolific recording opera singers of his time, making a large number of recordings for Odeon, Fonotipia, Zonophone, APGA, Pathé, and Edison.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1895 Catania Teatro Nazionale Rigoletto (Duca)

1897 Lecce Politeama Principe di Napoli Andrea Chenier (Chenier)

1899 Montevideo Teatro Solis Boheme (Rodolfo)

1901 Venezia Teatro La Fenice Le Maschere (Florindo)

1903 Pietroburgo Nuovo Conservatorio Rigoletto (Duca)

1905 Messina Teatro Vittorio Emanuele Adriana Lecouvreur (Maurizio)

1907 Costantinopoli Teatro Petit Champs Boheme (Rodolfo)

1909 Gand Petit Theatre Gioconda (Enzo)

1911 Catania Teatro Bellini Thais (Nicia)

1913 Pavia Teatro Fraschini Rigoletto (Duca)

1915 Venezia Teatro La Fenice Linda di Chamonix (Carlo)

1917 Alessandria d’Egitto Kursaal Pagliacci (Canio)

1920 Lugano Teatro Apollo Traviata (Alfredo)

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Adriana Lecouvreur (Cilea) Ma dunque e vero (w. Bianco-Tamagno) 37214 xm 568 Odeon, Milano 1905/1906

Andrea Chénier (Giordano) Duetto finale (w. Citti-Lippi) 054013 Con590w G&T, Milano 1903-10

Bohème (Puccini) Ah Mimi tu più non torni (w. Quercia) 54043 Con131 G&T, Milano 1903-10

Bohème (Puccini) O Mimì (w. Corradetti) 37027 Xm12 (or 18) Odeon, Milano 1905

Carmen (Bizet) Duetto Don Jose-Escamillo, act 2 (w. Quercia) 054002 Con515 G&T, Milano 1903-10

Carmen (Bizet) Ho nome Escamillo (w. Corradetti) 37039 Xm13 Odeon, Milano 1905

Carmen (Bizet) Mia tu sei 52729 Con145 G&T, Milano 1903-10

Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) Brindisi 37005 xm 63 Odeon, Milano 1905

Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) Mamma, quel vino e’ generoso 24005 Zonophone, 1907

Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) O Lola (Siciliana) 12702 Zonophone 19021903

Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) O Lola (Siciliana) 52781 Con274 G&T, Milano 1903-10

Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) O Lola Xm62 37020 Odeon, Milano 1905

Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) Siciliana 5396 93191 Pathé, London 1913

Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) Tu qui Santuzza… No, no, Turiddu (w. De Macchi) Unpubl. XPh1906, XPh1914 Fonotipia, Milano 1906-05-25