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

 

 

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Vesti la giubba 37025 Xm38 Odeon, Milano 1905

Pecheurs de perles (Bizet) Del tempio al limitar (w. Baldassare) 054012 Con548 G&T, Milano 1903-10

Rigoletto (Verdi) E’il sol dell’anima (w. Finzi-Magrini) 39681 XPh 1902 Fonotipia, Milano 1906-05-25

Rigoletto (Verdi) La donna è mobile 585 Aérophone

Tosca (Puccini) Duetto, act 1 (w. de Michalska) 54042 Con106R G&T, Milano 1903-10

Tosca (Puccini) E lucevan le stelle 35175 A.P.G.A. Paris, 190809

Tosca (Puccini) E lucevan le stelle 93192 Pathé, London 1913

Tosca (Puccini) Recondita armonia 35174 A.P.G.A. Paris, 1908/09

Traviata (Verdi)  Prendi, quest’e l’imma (w. Russ & Corradetti) 39380 XPh 476 Fonotipia, Milano 1905-11-18

Traviata (Verdi) Lunge da lei… De miei bollenti spiriti BA 28138 Edison

Traviata (Verdi) Parigi, o cara (w. Finzi-Magrini) 39682 XPh 1911 Fonotipia, Milano 1905-09-22

Traviata (Verdi) Un dì felice (w. Russ) 054030 Con630 G&T, Milano 1903-10

Traviata (Verdi) Un dì, felice, eterea (w. F. Labia) 39332 xPh 343 Fonotipia, Milano 1905-09-1

Trovatore (Verdi) Di quella pira 2245 Idéal

Trovatore (Verdi) Di quella pira 35190 A.P.G.A. Paris, 1908/09