Description

EMILIO VENTURINI (BRESCIA, 1878 – MILAN, 1952)

 

 

 

 

He made his professional opera debut in 1900 in Italy, where he remained for the next several years. In 1901, he sang the role of Brighella in Mascagni’s Le maschere at the Teatro Regio in Turin. He made his La Scala debut in 1903 as Froh in Wagner’s Das Rheingold and sang in the premiere of Umberto Giordano’s Siberia. In 1904, he originated the role of Prince Yamadori in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly at La Scala. In 1905, Venturini joined the roster of the Opéra National de Paris. In 1907, he moved to London to sing with the Royal Opera at Covent Garden. In 1910, Venturini became a member of the Chicago Opera Association, where he performed roles until the summer of 1917. While in Chicago, he sang mostly character parts but also performed major roles such as Turiddu in Cavalleria rusticana, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, and Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly. In 1911, he sang the roles of Cassio in Verdi’s Otello and Spoletta in Puccini’s Tosca at the Metropolitan Opera. Venturini also returned to Italy for brief periods in 1910, 1911, and 1916 to perform with the Teatro Massimo in Palermo. In 1921, Venturini joined the roster at La Scala and sang roles with that opera house until 1948. He notably originated the roles of Il Tempiere in Boito’s Nerone in 1924 and Pang in Puccini’s Turandot in 1926. He was also the first to record the role of Nereo in Boito’s Mefistofele in the 1931 La Scala recording.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1901 Rovereto Giardino Eppler Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1903 Brescia Teatro Grande Iris (Cenciaiolo/Merciaiolo)

1905 Parigi Sarah Bernardt Adriana Lecouvreur (Abate)

1907 New York Manhattan Opera House Traviata (Gastone)

1909 Philadelphia Opera Crispino e la Comare (Contino)

1911 Chicago Civic Opera House Otello (Cassio)

1913 Philadelphia Teatro Metropolitan Lucia di Lammermoor (Arturo)

1915 Milano Teatro del Giardino Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)

1918 New York Manhattan Opera Company Puritani (Bruno)

1922 Novara Teatro Coccia Manon Lescaut (Edmondo/Maestro di Ballo/Lampionaio)

1924 Milano Teatro La Scala Boris Godunov (Innocente)

1926 Milano Teatro La Scala Oro Del Reno (Froh)

1928 Milano Teatro La Scala Turandot (Pang)

1930 Milano Teatro La Scala Turandot (Pang)

1932 Milano Teatro La Scala Turandot (Pang)

1934 Parma Teatro Regio Fra’ Gherardo di I. Pizzetti (Notaro/Incredulo)

1936 Parma Teatro Regio Andrea Chenier (Incredibile)

1938 Parma Teatro Regio Fanciulla del West (Nick)

1941 Novara Teatro Coccia Lucia di Lammermoor (Arturo)

1945 Parma Teatro Regio Turandot (Pang)

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Boheme (Puccini) O Mimì tu più non torni (w. Fossetta) 10128 Beka
2. Carmen (Bizet) Ho nome Escamilio (w. Fossetta) 10135 Beka
3. Carmen (Bizet) Les blés sont bons à faucher 1077 Columbia
4. Favorita (Donizetti) Spirto gentil 10078 Columbia
5. Iris (Mascagni) Apri la tua finestra 10104 Columbia
6. Mose in Egitto (Rossini) Dal tuo stella (w. De Angelis, Mannarini & Cheni) GQX 10207 WBX 668-2 Columbia
7. Otello (Verdi) Brindisi (w. Nessi & Stracciari) GQX10214 WBX522 Columbia
8. Otello (Verdi) Brindisi (w. Stabile & Nessi) D 18015 BX 62 Columbia
9. Otello (Verdi) Inaffia l’ugola! (w. Inghilleri, Nessi & chorus) 120142 XXPh6250 Fonotipia
10. Otello (Verdi) Una vela! (w. Baracchi, Inghilleri, Nessi & chorus) 120142 XXPh6249 Fonotipia
11. Pecheurs de Perles (Bizet) Je crois entendre encore 10117 Columbia
12. Rigoletto (Verdi) Questa o quella 10099 Columbia
13. Sonnambula (Bellini) Prendi l’anel ti dono 10100 Columbia
14. Trovatore (Verdi) Di quella pira (w. Merli) GQ7145 WB3684 Columbia
15. 16. Turandot (Puccini) Terzetto P1 and Pt 2 (w. Nessi & Baracchi) 120049, 120049, XXPh 5885, 5886  Fonotipia
16. Turandot (Verdi) Terzetto delle maschere Part I (w. Nessi & Baracchi) D1663 B2372 Columbia
17. Turandot (Verdi) Terzetto delle maschere Part II (w. Nessi & Baracchi) D1663 B2375 Columbia