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 most important 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 (the wife of the famous tenor Emilio Perea), which became one of his most famous 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 almost all significant Italian opera stages and also made guest appearances in London, Paris, Buenos Aires, Madrid, St. Petersburg, and Warsaw. According to Titta Ruffo’s book, he had the honor to sing with Elvino Ventura and soprano Pandolfini in La Traviata. He was one of the most prolific recording opera singers of his time, with a large number of records made 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

 

 

1. Fedora (Giordano) La morte di Fedora (w. Carelli) 054034 Con 651 G&T, Milano 1903-10
2. Fedora (Giordano) Vedi io piango 7011 M53 Odeon, Milano 1905
3. Fra Diavolo (Auber) Del Capitan alla salute! (w. Corradetti & Luppi) 37017 Xm65 Odeon, Milano 1905
4. Gioconda (Ponchielli) Enzo Grimaldo (w. Quercia) 054004 Con526R G&T, Milano 1903-10
5. Gioconda (Ponchielli) O grido di quest’anima (w. Corradetti) 37021 Xm14 Odeon, Milano 1905
6. Huguenots (Meyerbeer) Plus blanche (It) 39329 xPh 359 Fonotipia, Milano 1905-09-01
7. Iris (Mascagni) Apri la tua finestra 12627 Zonophone, 1906
8. Iris (Mascagni) Apri la tua finestra 62117 XPh 2682 Fonotipia, Milano 1907-10-15
9. Iris (Mascagni) Il bacio 12626 Zonophone 1907
10. Iris (Mascagni) O come al tuo sottile 39317 XPh 383 Fonotipia, Milano 1905-11-09
11. Iris (Mascagni) Or dammi il braccio tuo 37038 Xm52 Odeon, Milano 1905
12. Lohengrin (Wagner) Merce cigno gentil 52736 Con187 G&T, Milano 1903-10
13. Lolita (Buzzi-Peccia) 5689 Pathé, London 1913
14. Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) Sulla tomba 12662 Zonophone
15. Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) Tombe degl’avi miei… Fra poco a me ricovero 92006, XPh 2680,  92007 XPh 2681 Fonotipia, Milano 1907-10-15
16. Madama Butterfly (Puccini) Amore o grillo… Addio, fiorito asil 24003 Zonophone
17. Manon (Massenet) Ah dispar vision 578 Aérophone
18. Manon (Massenet) Ah! fuyez, douce image (It) 39350 XPh 386 Fonotipia, Milano
19. Manon (Massenet) Fanciulla, il vostro nome (w. Caprile) 39552 XPh1690 Fonotipia, Milano 1906-03-09
20. Manon Lescaut (Puccini) Donna non vidi mai 39293 XPh 323 Fonotipia, Milano 1905-09-13
21. Manon Lescaut (Puccini) Guardate pazzo son 39328 XPh 338 Fonotipia, Milano 1905-09-21
22. Mefistofele (Boito) Amore misterioso (w. Russ) 054025 Con636 G&T, Milano 1903-10