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

 

 

Gioconda (Ponchielli) O grido di quest’anima (w. Corradetti) 37021 Xm14 Odeon, Milano 1905

Huguenots (Meyerbeer) Plus blanche (It) 39329 xPh 359 Fonotipia, Milano 1905-09-01

Iris (Mascagni) Apri la tua finestra 12627 Zonophone, 1906

Iris (Mascagni) Apri la tua finestra 37010 Xm51 Odeon, Milano 1905

Iris (Mascagni) Apri la tua finestra 62117 XPh 2682 Fonotipia, Milano 1907-10-15

Iris (Mascagni) Il bacio 12626 Zonophone 1907

Iris (Mascagni) O come al tuo sottile 39317 XPh 383 Fonotipia, Milano 1905-11-09

Iris (Mascagni) Or dammi il braccio tuo 37038 Xm52 Odeon, Milano 1905

Lohengrin (Wagner) Merce cigno gentil 52736 Con187 G&T, Milano 1903-10

Lolita (Buzzi-Peccia) 5689 Pathé, London 1913

Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) Sulla tomba 12662 Zonophone

Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) Tombe degl’avi miei… Fra poco a me ricovero 92006, XPh 2680,  92007 XPh 2681 Fonotipia, Milano 1907-10-15

Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) Tombe degl’avi miei… Fra poco a me ricovero 39567, 39568, Xm 697, Xm 617 Fonotipia, Milano 1906-05-19