Description

FRANCESCO ALBANESE (TORRE DEL GRECO, NAPLES, AUGUST 13, 1912 — ROME, JUNE 11, 2005)

 

 

 

 

He initially studied in Boston and later, with the help of a scholarship, at the opera school of the Teatro Reale in Rome under Francesco Salfi.

In 1940, he made his debut at the Rome Opera—where he remained until 1942—as Evandre in Gluck’s Alceste. He also sang Count Almaviva in The Barber of Seville, Fenton in Verdi’s Falstaff, and Rinuccio in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi.

His career developed rapidly; from 1941 to 1944, he enjoyed great success at the Teatro Comunale in Florence. In 1942, he appeared at La Fenice in Venice in Rossini’s La Cenerentola.

Between 1942 and 1943, he toured with the ensemble of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, appearing in Budapest and major German cities. There he sang Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni under Herbert von Karajan (1942) and Fenton in 1944.

His debut at La Scala in Milan came in 1942 as Fenton in Falstaff; in the following season, he sang Ernesto in Don Pasquale and Count Almaviva there.

After the Second World War, he continued his career at the Rome Opera, as well as in Venice, Genoa, and at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples. From 1947 to 1952, he performed regularly at La Scala, where he sang a wide range of roles from both the lyric and lyric-dramatic repertoire, including Faust in Gounod’s opera, Julien in Charpentier’s Louise, Dimitri in Alfano’s Risurrezione, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Paco in de Falla’s La vida breve, and Capito in Hindemith’s Mathis der Maler.

In 1949, he took part in the world premiere of Giulio Cesare Sanzogno’s opera Regina Uliva at La Scala. He was a frequent guest at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples from 1942 to 1959 and appeared with the company at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, in 1946—among other roles, as the Duke in Rigoletto.

From 1945 to 1959, he was also a regular guest at the Rome Opera, where he enjoyed some of his greatest successes as Ismaele in Verdi’s Nabucco, Alfredo in La Traviata (his signature role), Giasone in Cherubini’s Medea (alongside Maria Callas), and Max in Weber’s Der Freischütz.

In 1953, he sang at the Rome Opera in the world premiere of Antonio Lualdi’s La luna dei Caraibi.

He made guest appearances at the Vienna State Opera (1943), the Teatro São Carlos in Lisbon (1946), the Teatro Comunale in Florence (as Alfredo in 1951 with Maria Callas in La Traviata, and as Ismaele in 1954), the State Operas of Munich (1952) and Stuttgart (1952), the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires (1956), and the Rio de Janeiro Opera (as Alfredo in 1950 and as Dimitrij in Boris Godunov in 1956).

In 1952, he sang Rinaldo in Rossini’s Armida at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, again with Maria Callas in the title role, as well as Argirio in Rossini’s Tancredi. In 1954, he appeared in Spontini’s Agnese di Hohenstaufen.

In Monte Carlo, he enjoyed great success as a soloist in Verdi’s Requiem in 1952. At the Baths of Caracalla Festival in Rome, he appeared in 1945 as Faust and Rodolfo in La Bohème, in 1954 as Ismaele and Alfredo, and again as Alfredo in 1957.

He also performed at the Arena di Verona in 1952 in Montemezzi’s opera L’incantesimo. At La Scala, he sang Pylades in Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride in 1957, once again with Maria Callas in the title role.

His career came to an end in the 1960s.

His beautifully trained voice, admired for its nuanced expression, is preserved on Cetra recordings, including the complete La Traviata with Maria Callas, as well as Neapolitan songs. There also exists a private recording of the aforementioned La Scala performance of Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride, as well as recordings of Rossini’s Armida (with Maria Callas) and Spontini’s Agnese di Hohenstaufen on Fonit Cetra.

 

TRACKLIST

 

Boheme (Puccini) O soave fanciulla (w. Fineschi) Cetra 2-71097

Boheme (Puccini) Sono andati (w. Fineschi) Cetra 2-71096

Le stagioni (Haydn) Langue oppressa la natura Cetra 2-70882

Le stagioni (Haydn) Voi belle di città Cetra 2-70895/6

‘A canzone d’ ‘e stelle (E. Murolo – E. Tagliaferri) Cetra 53409

‘E palumme (O. Gallo – M. Persico) Cetra 54702

‘Ndringhete ‘ndra’!… (De Gregorio – Cinquegrana) Cetra 54868

’a canzone ’e Napule (L. Bovio – E. De Curtis) Cetra 51204

Addio mia bella Napoli (Valente – Manlio) Cetra DC 4661

Affaccete Nunziata…! (A. Guida – Ilari) Cetra 11593

Aggio perduto ‘o suonno (Redi – Natili) Cetra DC 5505 10415

Ah! l’ammore che fà (E. Murolo – E. De Curtis) Cetra 51102

Ammore calmo (Mario – N. Piccinelli) Cetra 10416

Ammore canta (E. Murolo – E. Tagliaferri) Cetra 54805

Autunno (L. Bovio – E. De Curtis) Cetra 51099

Avemmaria (E. De Curtis) Cetra 54870

Canta pe’ me (L. Bovio – E. De Curtis) Cetra 54804

Canzona appassiunata (E. A. Mario) Cetra 53408

Cara piccina (L. Bovio – G. Lama) Cetra AA 342 e AT 0179 51612

Carcerato (G. Pisano – G. Cioffi) Cetra AT 0199 53991

Carmela (De Curtis) Cetra DC 5783

Carmela mia (Cannio – Califano) Cetra 54874

Che m’è fatto, Mari’… (De Crescenzo – F. Rendine) Cetra 11984

Che t’aggia dì (Nardella) Cetra LPA 25

Chella d’ ‘e rrose (Falvo – Canetti) Cetra DC 4027 AA 333

Chiagne nu mandulino (Furno – N. Oliviero) Cetra 11983

Cinefollia (Bixio-De Torres) Orchestra da Camera dell’Eiar Cetra AA350 51981

Comme facette mammeta (Capaldo – S. Gambardella) Cetra AT0181 51604

Core ’ngrato (V. Cardillo – Cordiferro) Cetra AA 324 e AT 170 51610

Ddoje madonne (Rossetti – Di Gianni) Cetra AT 0191  53419

Desiderio (A. Trusiano – S. Mazzocco) Cetra DC- 5716 10413

Desiderio ‘e sole (Manlio – Gigante) Cetra DC 5584

Dicitencello vuje (Fusco – R. Falvo) Cetra DC4060 e AA 335 51098

Dimmi tu primavera (Bixio – De Torres) Orchestra da Camera dell’Eiar Cetra AA350 51980

Fenesta ca lucive (Bellini) Cetra 103  52465

Fili d’oro (Capurro) Italdisc CA 60008 IT-1016

Guapparia (Bovio – Falvo) Cetra DC 5780

I’ te vurria vasà (Russo) Cetra DC 5783

Io, ‘na chitarra e ‘a luna (E. A. Mario) Cetra AA 506

L’urdema canzona mia – tutt’ è fernuto (V. Russo – E. di Capua) Cetra 54873

La canzone dei sommergibili (Ruccione – Zorro) Cetra 51598

L’ammore che fa fa (De Curtis – Murolo) Cetra DC 4021 e AA 332

Luna Malinconica (Bixio) Cetra AA 423 52463

Mamma (Bixio – Cherubini) Italdisc CA 60008  IT-1015

Mamma mia che vò sapé (V. Russo – E. Nutile) Cetra DC 4050 e AA 334 51105

Mandulinata a Surriento (Ciaravolo – E.A. Mario) Cetra DC 4050 e AA 334 51106

Mandulinata amara (Celentano – Quagliiero) Cetra 54704

Marechiare (Tosti – Di Giacomo) Cetra DC 4663

Maria Cristina (Bixio) Song from the Film Canto ma sottovoce Cesare Gallino and His Orchestra Cetra DC-139 52461

Maria Marì (di Capua – Russo) Cetra AA 503

Musica proibita (Flik Flok – S. Gastaldon) Cetra 3002 52229

‘Na sera ‘e maggio (Cioffi – Pisano) Cetra AA 316 51709

Napule bello (De Gregorio – Cinquegrano) Cetra DC 4126 e AA 323 51603

Napule canta (L. Bovio – E. Tagliaferri) Cetra 54872

Nun me scetà (E. Murolo – E. Tagliaferri) Cetra DC4060 e AA 335 51101

‘O surdato ‘nnammurato (Califano – Cannio) Cetra DC 4662 52992

Occhi di Fata (Denza) Cetra AA-3005 52230

Pecchè (Pennino – De Flavis) Cetra DC 4662

Piscatore ‘e Pusilleco (Tagliaferri – Murolo) Cetra AA 326

Quanno tramonta ’o sole (V. Russo – S. Gambardella) Cetra AA 324 51611

Rondine al Nido (De Crescenzo) Cetra AA-3005 51702

Santa Lucia (Cottrau) Cetra 103 52464

Santa Lucia luntana (E.A. Mario) Cetra 51712

Senz’odio e senz’ammore (E. Murolo – T. Petralia) Cetra 51726

Silenzio cantatore (L. Bovio – G. Lama) Cetra AA 505 53407

Suspiranno (E. Murolo – E. Nardella) Cetra 10413

Ti voglio tanto bene (Furno – E. De Curtis) Cetra 51713

Tira ‘a rezza (Bonagura – Cutolo – Vinci) Cetra 11982

Torna (Vento – Valente) Cetra DC 5770 54703

Trasmette Napoli (Fiorelli – Valente) Cetra AA 502 53411

Tu, ca nun chiagne (L. Bovio – E. De Curtis) Cetra 51609

Tutta pe’ mme (Fiore – G. Lama) Cetra 54807

Uocchie ch’arraggiunate (Falvo – Falzone – Fiore) Cetra DC 5780

Varca ’e nisciuno (Cacciapuoti – Campanino) Cetra AA 346 51727

Voce ’e notte (Lardini – E. De Curtis) Cetra AA-345 51710

Vola Vola (Bixio) Cetra AA 423 52466