Description

TADEUSZ LELIWA (TEPLIK, UKRAINE, 19 JULY, 1875 – WARSAW, POLAND, 19 NOVEMBER, 1929)

 

 

 

 

Wincenty Tadeusz Kopystyński, known professionally as Enzo Leliva, was a distinguished Polish tenor with a diverse and international career. Born into a scholarly environment, he initially pursued medicine at the University of Kiev and later studied law at the University of Warsaw. However, his passion for music led him to take singing lessons with Mrs. Massini, followed by advanced studies under A. W. Aleksandrowicz in Warsaw, Jean de Reszke in Paris, and A. Brogi in Italy.

Leliva made his operatic debut in 1901 at the opera house in Saratov, Russia. His talents were soon recognized, and he secured a position at the Kiev Opera before being invited to the Warsaw Opera Theatre, where he debuted in 1902 as Radames in Verdi’s Aida. His time in Warsaw was marked by performances in key roles such as the Duke in Rigoletto, Alfredo in La Traviata, Enzo in La Gioconda, Fernando in La Favorita, and Hermann in The Queen of Spades. He also starred in the title roles of Mazeppa by Münchheimer and Chopin by Orefice.

Leoncavallo, impressed by his performance in Warsaw, invited him to Italy, where Leliva made his Italian debut in 1904 as Milio in Zazà at the Teatro Regio in Turin. His Italian career flourished with appearances in Naples, Turin, Palermo, and Genoa, and he performed the role of Jontek in the Italian premiere of Moniuszko’s Halka at the Teatro Lirico in Milan.

Leliva’s international career took him to the stages of St. Petersburg, Kiev, La Scala in Milan, Mexico City, Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon, and the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. In 1909, he made a successful debut at Covent Garden in London, performing as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly and Canio in Pagliacci alongside the renowned soprano Emmy Destinn.

His American debut followed in the same year, with performances in Boston, Chicago, and New York, where he showcased his talent in roles like Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana and Alfredo in La Traviata. From 1910 to 1912, Leliva performed extensively in Poland and Russia before returning to Italy in 1913 for engagements in Bologna and Genoa.

With the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Leliva returned to Poland, where he continued to perform, particularly in concerts. He concluded his operatic career in 1919 with a final performance in Halka in Kiev. After retiring from the stage, Leliva dedicated himself to teaching in Warsaw, where one of his most famous pupils was the legendary tenor Jan Kiepura.

Enzo Leliva’s career was marked by his powerful voice and his ability to captivate audiences across Europe, the Americas, and Russia, leaving a lasting legacy in the world of opera.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1904 Milano Teatro Lirico Zaza (Millo)

1906 San Pietroburgo Teatro Aquarium Ugonotti (Raoul)

1906 Brescia Teatro Grande Tristano e Isotta (Tristano)

1906 Torino Teatro Regio Loreley (Walter)

1906 Torino Teatro Regio Dannazione di Faust (Faust)

1906 Palermo Teatro Massimo Loreley (Walter)

1907 Cittа del Messico Teatro Arbeu Ballo in maschera (Riccardo)

1907 Cittа del Messico Teatro Arbeu Tannhauser (Tannhauser)

1907 Cittа del Messico Teatro Arbeu Ugonotti (Raoul)

1908 Genova Politeama Genovese Pagliacci (Canio)

1909 Boston Opera House Cavalleria rusticana (Turiddu)

1909 Boston Opera House Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)

1909 Boston Opera House Pagliacci (Canio)

1910 Chicago Auditorium Carmen (Don Jose)

1910 Chicago Auditorium Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)

1910 Chicago Auditorium Pagliacci (Canio)

1910 Pittsburgh Teatro Nixon Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)

1910 St. Louis Teatro Odeon Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)

1910 St. Louis Teatro Odeon Pagliacci (Canio)

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Aida (Verdi) Aria 3-22789 7024L Gramophone, Warszawa 1908
2. Aida (Verdi) Gia I sacerdoti adunansi with Elisa Petri Unpubl. XPh 3700 Fonotipia, Milano 1908-11-30
3. Ave Maria (Gounod) 94056 Odeon, Warszawa
4. Ballo in maschera (Verdi) Ma se m’è forza perderti 92411 XPh 3727 Fonotipia, Milano 1908-12-03
5. Carmen (Bizet) La fleur 35262 Columbia, Warszawa 1904
6. Chopin (Orefice) Duet (Nocturne) (w. Korolewicz-Wajdowa) 2-24031 7082L Gramophone, Warszawa 1908
7. Chopin (Orefice) Io sono un fior esala 39073 XPh 104 Fonotipia, Milano 1904-12
8. Chopin (Orefice) Kolysanka with Vera De Lutze 39118 XPh 79 Fonotipia, Milano 1904-11
9. Chopin (Orefice) Sera ineffabile with Irene De Bohus 39119 XPh 105 Fonotipia, Milano 1904-12
10. Chopin (Orefice) Si, date fiori 39033 XPh 76 Fonotipia, Milano 1904-11
11. Chopin (Orefice) Tak, gloscie chwale 39034 XPh 77 Fonotipia, Milano 1904-11
12. Ebrea (Halevy) Rachele, allor che Iddio 92410 XPh 3609 Fonotipia, Milano 1908-11-07
13. Elisir d’amore (Donizetti) Una furtiva lagrima 12001 b Ro 489 Odéon, 1900-01-01
14. Figlia di Jorio (Franchetti) Rinverdisca per noi 39927 XPh 2277 Fonotipia, Milano 1906-12-12
15. Fiori di campo (de Leva) 39132 XPh 146 Fonotipia, Milano 1905-02
16. Halka (Moniuszko) The winds wails (Dumka) (Ph) 3-22790 7022L Gramophone, Warszawa 1908
17. Don’t tempt me (Glinka) with Hanna Skwarecka 97628 Odeon, Warszawa 1906
18. Kocham cię (Rutkowski – Laskowski) 9050 The Russian Gramophone