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 in Novara as Rodolfo in Puccini’s La Bohème. In 1905, he achieved his first major 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 appeared with great success at the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan as Giorgio in Mascagni’s Amica. In 1907, he sang 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, where he sang in Madama Butterfly, Tosca, La Bohème, and Cavalleria Rusticana. In 1911, at the Teatro Regio in Turin, he performed the role of Dick Johnson in the theater’s premiere of Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West. In 1912, he was a guest at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, where he sang the role of Faust in Boito’s Mefistofele. On March 6, 1920, at the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan, he appeared in the premiere of Pedrollo’s L’Uomo che ride.

He was married to the soprano Bianca Tamagno-Grassi (1883–1914), a niece of the celebrated 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

 

 

Africana (Meyerbeer) O Paradiso 92262 XPh3550 Fonotipia, Milano 1908-10-21

Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) Tu qui, Santuzza… Ah! lo vedi (w. Pasini-Vitale) 74149  XXPh3968 74150  XXPh3969 Fonotipia, Milano 1909-06-22

Faust (Gounod) Oh del ciel angioli… All’erta, all’erta (w. Pasini-Vitale & Luppi) 92633 XPh4031-2 Fonotipia, Milano 1909-07-01

Gioconda (Ponchielli) Enzo Grimaldo… O grido di quest’anima (w. Amato) 92565 XPh4044 92566 XPh4045 Fonotipia, Milano 1909-07-03

Manon Lescaut (Puccini) Donna non vidi mai 92260 XPh3551 Fonotipia, Milano 1908-10-21

Mefistofele (Boito) Dai campi, dai prati 92261 XPh3559 Fonotipia, Milano 1908-10-23

Mefistofele (Boito) Dimmi se credi, Enrico (w. Pasini-Vitale) 92567 XPh4032 Fonotipia, Milano 1909-07-01

Mefistofele (Boito) Strano figlio del Caos… Fin da sta notte (w. Luppi) 92568 XPh4033 Fonotipia, Milano 1909-07-01

Rigoletto (Verdi) La donne e mobile 92157 XPh3087 Fonotipia, Milano 1908-03-16