Description

FRANCO LO GIUDICE (PATERNO, 14 MARCH, 1893 – CATANIA, 8 AUGUST, 1990)

 

 

 

 

He was the older brother of tenor Silvio Costa Lo Giudice (1895-1982) and a distant cousin of the Portuguese soprano Maria Giudice. He decided to pursue a singing career after hearing records of Enrico Caruso. He studied under Beniamino Carelli in Naples and Adernò in Catania, as well as with Luigi Lucenti and Di Cagno in Milan, though his studies were interrupted by military service during World War I. As a soldier, he performed concerts for Italian front-line soldiers during the war.

In 1919, he made his stage debut as Gastone in La Traviata at the Politeama in Livorno. The following year, he sang Dick Johnson in Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West at the Teatro Verdi in Tortona. In 1922, he achieved great success at the Teatro dell’Opera in Rome in the title role of Giordano’s Andrea Chénier. From 1925, he frequently performed at La Scala, making his debut as Giosta Berling in the world premiere of Zandonai’s I Cavalieri di Ekebù under Arturo Toscanini’s direction.

In 1926, he alternated with tenor Miguel Fleta in the role of Prince Calàf in the original production of Puccini’s Turandot. At La Scala, he also appeared as Dick Johnson in La Fanciulla del West, Hagenbach in Catalani’s La Wally, Avito in Montemezzi’s L’Amore dei tre Re, and Gianetto in Giordano’s La Cena delle Beffe. That same year, he performed at the festival in the Arena of Verona. On February 4, 1928, he appeared at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples in the premiere of Zandonai’s opera Giuliano.

He continued to perform at La Scala through the 1930s and remained active on provincial stages in Italy throughout the following decade. Later, he became a professor and taught at the Conservatory of Catania.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1914 Palermo Teatro Biondo Pagliacci (Peppe)

1919 Livorno Politeama Traviata (Alfredo)

1920 Torino Teatro Verdi Andrea Chenier (Chenier)

1921 Venezia Teatro Malibran Ruy Blas (Ruy Blas)

1922 Napoli Teatro San Carlo Andrea Chenier (Chenier)

1923 Livorno Teatro Rossini Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)

1924 Bergamo Teatro delle Societа Fanciulla del West (Johnson)

1925 Bari Teatro Petruzzelli Giulietta e Romeo di R. Zandonai (Romeo)

1926 Torino Teatro Regio La Cena Delle Beffe (Giannetto)

1927 Piacenza Teatro Municipale Turandot (Calaf)

1928 Mantova Teatro Sociale Francesca da Rimini (Paolo)

1930 Modena Teatro Municipale Wally (Hagenbach)

1931 Palermo Teatro Massimo Francesca da Rimini (Paolo)

1932 Milano Teatro La Scala La Notte di Zoraima di I. Montemezzi (Muscar)

1933 Rovigo Teatro Sociale Carmen (Don Jose)

1934 Novara Teatro Coccia La Cena Delle Beffe (Giannetto)

1935 Genova Teatro Carlo Felice I Capuleti e i Montecchi di V. Bellini

1936 Bari Teatro Petruzzelli Il Piccolo Marat (Marat)

1937 Palermo Teatro Massimo I Vespri Siciliani (Arrigo)

1938 Parma Teatro Regio Fiorella di I.Brancucci (Eugenio di Beauharnais)

1939 Sanremo Teatro del Casino Turandot (Calaf)

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Andrea Chenier (Giordano) Un di all’azzurro spazio P1 10364, 86828 Pathé, Milano
2. Andrea Chenier (Giordano) Un di all’azzurro spazio P2 10364 86829 Pathé, Milano
3. Loreley (Catalani) Infranto ogni altro vincolo 10365 86830 Pathé, Milano
4. Lodoletta (Mascagni) Ah! Ritrovarla nella sua capanna 10366 86332 Pathé, Milano
5. Piccolo Marat (Mascagni) Comprendi quel che ho fatto with Anna Sassone-Soster 12589 86834 Pathé, Milano
6. Piccolo Marat (Mascagni)  Avrai nella mia mamma with Anna Sassone-Soster12589 86835 Pathé, Milano
7. Piccolo Marat (Mascagni)  E’ l’alba 10366 Pathé, Milano
8. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) No, pagliaccio non son 10367 86850 Pathé, Milano
9. Trovatore (Verdi) Deserto sulla trerra 10367 86851 Pathé, Milano
10. La Fanciulla del West (Puccini) Or son sei mesi 86831 Pathé, Milano
11. Nerone (Boito) Queste ad un lido fatal DB819 2-052271 HMV, Milano 1924-12-11
12. Nerone (Boito) Oh come viene a errar DB820 2-052272 HMV, Milano 1924-12-13
13. Nerone (Boito) Scendi, scendi DB820 2-052273 HMV, Milano 1924-12-13
14. Come le rose Lama (Genise) GQ 7214 WB9721 Columbia, Milano
15. Sei tu l’amore GQ2072 B5390 Columbia, Milano
16. Oggo lo so (Redi-Nisa) GQ7214 B9720 Columbia, Milano
17. La canzone del cuore (Redi-Morini) GQ7215 B9722 Columbia, Milano
18. Amore, amore (Redi-Morini) GQ7215 B9723 Columbia, Milano