Description

PIERO MENESCALDI (MILAN, 1893 – MILAN, 1973)

 

 

 

 

He studied singing in Milan under the guidance of retired tenor Giuseppe Russitano and made his debut in 1921 at Conselice as the Duke in Rigoletto. In 1924, he was engaged by Teatro alla Scala in Milan, where he remained a member until 1933. He performed successfully not only there but also in major Italian provincial opera houses. In 1935, he made a guest appearance at the Gebouw Voor Kunsten en Wetenschappen in The Hague as Des Grieux in Puccini’s Manon Lescaut. His repertoire included roles such as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, David in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Julien in Charpentier’s Louise, Alfredo in La Traviata, Fenton in Verdi’s Falstaff, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, and Loris in Giordano’s Fedora. At La Scala, he participated in the premieres of Il Diavolo nel Campanile by Adriano Lualdi (April 22, 1925) and La Bella e il Mostro by Luigi Ferrari-Trecate (March 20, 1926). In 1929, he appeared in the Italian premiere of Maurice Ravel’s L’Heure espagnole. Later, he settled in Milan, where he worked as a singing teacher.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1921 Conselice Teatro Sociale Rigoletto (Duca)

1922 Trapani Teatro Garibaldi Gioconda (Enzo)

1925 Milano Teatro La Scala Louise (Giuliano)

1927 Milano Teatro La Scala Boheme (Rodolfo)

1929 Milano Teatro La Scala Nozze di Figaro (Basilio)

1931 Bari Teatro Petruzzelli Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)

1933 Milano Teatro La Scala Filanda Magiara T. Kodaly (Giovane)

1935 ‘S-Gravenhage Gebouw Voor Kunsten en Wetenschappen Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)

1937 Casale Monferrato Teatro Sociale Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)

1939 Palermo Teatro Garibaldi Fedora (Loris)

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Boheme (Puccini) Mimì è una civetta D 17558 Columbia, Milano 1924
2. Madama Butterfly (Puccini) Addio, fiorito asil 7901 43086 Parlophon 1927
3. Manon Lescaut (Puccini) Donna non vidi mai 7900 43084 Parlophon 1927
4. Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) Brindisi P 8900 2-84005 Parlophon 1927
5. Traviata (Verdi) Brindisi 7901 43080 Parlophon 1927
6. Tosca (Puccini) Recondita armonia 7900 43083 Parlophon 1927
7. Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) Fra poco a me ricovero P 8901 2-84002 Parlophon 1927
8. Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) Tombe degliavi miei P 8901 2-84003 Parlophon 1927
9. Fedora (Giordano) Mia madre D 9482 B 850 Columbia, Milano 1930
10. Manon Lescaut (Puccini) Ah! Manon mi tradisce D 9483 B 851 Columbia, Milano 1930
11. Manon Lescaut (Puccini) Ah! Non v’avvicinate!  D 9483 B 854 Columbia, Milano 1930