Description

LUCA BOTTA (AMALFI, 16 APRIL, 1882 – NEW YORK, 29 SEPTEMBER, 1917)

 

 

 

 

He studied under Guglielmo Vergine in Naples and made his debut in 1908 at the Royal Opera Theatre in Malta. In 1910, he achieved significant success in Naples as Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana. Following guest performances in Turin, Mantua, Verona, Milan, and Malta, he moved to North America in 1913. There, he first performed with the Western Metropolitan Opera Company in San Francisco.

In 1914, with the assistance of the famous soprano Frances Alda, he secured an engagement with the Metropolitan Opera in New York. His debut role was Rodolfo in La Bohème, which he performed with great success. Over the next few years, he appeared in various roles at the Metropolitan Opera, gaining acclaim and being compared to Enrico Caruso. Notable performances included the premieres of Leoni’s L’Oracolo (1915), Borodin’s Prince Igor (1917), and Massenet’s Thaïs. He also sang roles such as Alfredo in La Traviata, Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana, Osaka in Mascagni’s Iris, and Cavaradossi in Tosca.

In addition to his work at the Metropolitan Opera, Luca Botta made guest appearances at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires in roles such as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Huon in Weber’s Oberon, and Avito in the South American premiere of Montemezzi’s Amore dei tre Re. He also performed successfully at the Opera Theatre of Boston in 1915. Tragically, his promising career was cut short when he died from a brain tumor in New York City at a young age.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1908 Malta Teatro Reale Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)

1909 Malta Teatro Reale Traviata (Alfredo)

1910 Tunisi Politeama Rossini Boheme (Rodolfo)

1911 Messina Teatro Mastroieni Fedora (Loris)

1912 Barletta Teatro Curci Andrea Chenier (Chenier)

1913 Mantova Teatro Sociale Isabeau (Folco)

1914 Verona Teatro Filarmonico Loreley (Walter)

1915 Philadelphia Teatro Metropolitan Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)

1916 Boston Opera House Boheme (Rodolfo)

1917 New York Brooklyn Opera House Thais (Nicia)

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Manon Lescaut (Puccini) O tentatrice with Ebe Boccolini 054398 S 3412 Gramophone, Milano 1912-09-17
2. Manon Lescaut (Puccini) Vedete io son fedele with Ebe Boccolini 054397 S 3412 Gramophone, Milano 1912-09-17
3. Mefistofele (Boito) Giunto sul passo estremo with Giuseppe Tischi-Rubini 054407 481aj Gramophone, Milano 1912-09-19
4. Mefistofele (Boito) La luna immobile with Ebe Boccolini and Giulia Martinengo 054403 S 5504 Gramophone, Milano 1912-09-17
5. Tosca (Puccini) Amaro sol per te with Irene Sollohub 54471 1948ah Gramophone, Milano 1912-09-24
6. Traviata (Verdi) Alfredo, Alfredo with Serafina Scalfaro and Giorgio Schottler 43152 Soc. Fonografica Napoletana, Napoli 1911/1912
7. Traviata (Verdi) Gran dio morir with Serafina Scalfaro 43171 Soc. Fonografica Napoletana, Napoli 1911/1912
8. Traviata (Verdi) Parigi, o cara with Serafina Scalfaro 43183 Soc. Fonografica Napoletana, Napoli 1911/1912
9. Traviata (Verdi) Prendi questa e l’immagine with Ebe Boccolini and Ernesto Badini 68538 Victor, USA 1912-09-29
10. Traviata (Verdi) Scena della borsa with Serafina Scalfaro 43125 Soc. Fonografica Napoletana, Napoli 1911/1912