Description

RODOLFO RINALDO BABILA GRASSI (MILAN, 4 OCTOBER, 1885 – TURIN, 14 OCTOBER, 1946)

He received his education at the Milan Conservatory, where he studied under Leoni. In 1904, he made his stage debut at the Teatro Coccia of Novara as Rodolfo in Puccini’s La Bohème. In 1905, he achieved his first success at the Teatro Comunale in Ferrara and the Teatro Sociale in Treviso as Faust in Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust. In 1906, he performed with great success at the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan as Giorgio in Mascagni’s Amica. In 1907, he appeared at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples in Verdi’s La Traviata alongside Darclée Heraclea and Eugenio Giraldoni. That same year, Grassi made his La Scala debut, performing in Puccini’s Tosca with Eugenia Burzio and Pasquale Amato.

During the 1908-09 season, he appeared at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, performing in Madama Butterfly, Tosca, La Bohème, and Cavalleria Rusticana. In 1912, he made a guest appearance at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, singing the role of Faust in Boito’s Mefistofele. At the Teatro Regio in Turin, he sang the role of Dick Johnson in the theater’s premiere of Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West (1911). On March 6, 1920, at the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan, he appeared in the premiere of Pedrollo’s L’Uomo che ride.

He married soprano Bianca Tamagno-Grassi (1883-1914), a niece of the heroic tenor Francesco Tamagno (1851-1905). Tragically, she died at the height of her career at the age of 31, following a car accident.

Chronology of some appearances

1904 Novara Teatro Coccia Boheme (Rodolfo)
1905 Ferrara Teatro Comunale La dannatione di Faust (Faust)
1905 Treviso Teatro Sociale La dannatione di Faust (Faust)
1906 Milan Teatro Dal Verme Amica (Giorgio)
1907 Napoli Teatro San Carlo Traviata (Alfredo)
1907 Milan La Scala Tosca (Cavaradossi)
1911 Torino Teatro Regio Fanciulla del West (Dick Johnson)
1912 Buenos Aires Teatro Colon Mefistofele (Faust)

TRACKLIST

1. Africana (Meyerbeer) O Paradiso 92262 XPh3550 Fonotipia, Milano 1908-10-21
2. Aida (Verdi) Morir, si pura e bella 86170 Pathé, Milano 1906
3. Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) Tu qui, Santuzza… Ah! lo vedi (w. Pasini-Vitale) 74149 XXPh3968 74150  XXPh3969 Fonotipia, Milano 1909-06-22
4. Faust (Gounod) Oh del ciel angioli… All’erta, all’erta (w. Pasini-Vitale & Luppi) 92633 XPh4031-2 Fonotipia, Milano 1909-07-01
5. Gioconda (Ponchielli) Enzo Grimaldo… O grido di quest’anima (w. Amato) 92565 XPh4044 92566 XPh4045 Fonotipia, Milano 1909-07-03
6. Mefistofele (Boito) Dai campi, dai prati 92261 XPh3559 Fonotipia, Milano 1908-10-23
7. Mefistofele (Boito) Dimmi se credi, Enrico (w. Pasini-Vitale) 92567 XPh4032 Fonotipia, Milano 1909-07-01
8. Mefistofele (Boito) Strano figlio del Caos… Fin da sta notte (w. Luppi) 92568 XPh4033 Fonotipia, Milano 1909-07-01
9. Rigoletto (Verdi) E ‘ il sol dell’anima 86171 Pathé, Milano 1906
10. Rigoletto (Verdi) La donne e mobile 92157 XPh3087 Fonotipia, Milano 1908-03-16