Description

JEAN ATHANASIU (BUCHAREST, ROMANIA, 28 FEBRUARY, 1885 – BUCHAREST, ROMANIA, 20 NOVEMBER, 1938)

He first studied in Bucharest and then under Ernesto Colli and Manlio Bavagnoli in Milan. He made his debut in 1912 at the Teatro Sociale in Salò as Silvio in Pagliacci. Promoted by the famous baritone Mattia Battistini, he appeared in 1913 at the Teatro Regio in Turin as Amonasro in Aida. In 1914, he created the role of Amfortas in Parsifal for Palermo. After the outbreak of the First World War, he returned to Romania, singing in Bucharest and Jassy, and in 1917 in Odessa. In 1919, he was one of the founders of the Romanian National Opera in Bucharest, where he was celebrated in roles such as Rigoletto, Scarpia, Amonasro, and Don Giovanni.

In 1921, he made guest appearances in Brescia and Ferrara, and from 1921 to 1930, he was one of the leading singers at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome, performing under the name Giovanni Atanasio. During the 1923-1925 seasons, he appeared with great success at the Vienna People’s Opera alongside Romanian tenor Traian Grozavescu and also sang as a guest at the Berlin State Opera. He died at the height of his career from typhoid fever.

Chronology of some appearances

1912 Salò Teatro Sociale Pagliacci (Silvio)

1913 Turin Teatro Regio Aida (Amonasro)

1914 Palermo (-) Parsifal (Amfortas)

1917 Odessa Teatro Municipale (-)

1923 Roma Teatro Costanzi Tristan und Isolde (Kurwenal)

TRACKLIST

1. Ballo in maschera (Verdi) Alla vita che t’arride 03578 Vox, Berlin 1926
2. Ballo in maschera (Verdi) Eri tu 03579 Vox, Berlin 1926
3. Carmen (Bizet) Con voi ber Odeon, Bukarest 1920’s
4. Cei doi grenadiri (Schumann) XX127411 xxJo1524 Odeon, Bukarest 1920’s
5. Cinen’are dor XX127411 xxJo1525 Odeon, Bukarest 1920’s
6. Crucifix (Faure) AA17522 xxJo1948 Odeon, Bukarest 1920’s
7. Ernani (Verdi) Ihr holden Frühlingsträume (It) 03579 Vox, Berlin 1926
8. Faust (Gounod) Avant de quitter ces lieux 03576 2750A Vox, Berlin 1926
9. Faust (Gounod) Dio possente (Valentins Gebet) 03576 2750A Vox, Berlin 1926
10. Forza del destino (Verdi) Solenne in quest’ora with Costa Milona 04177 2745A Vox, Berlin 1926
11. Noaptea (Tchaikovsky) AA17522 xxJo1949 Odeon, Bukarest 1920’s
12. Otello (Verdi) Sì pel ciel (w. Milona) 04177 2757A Vox, Berlin, May 1926
13. Rigoletto (Verdi) Cortigiani, vil razza dannata 03578 Vox, Berlin 1926
14. Tosca (Puccini) Sei la gurata fede 03576 2750B Vox, Berlin 1926
15. Traviata (Verdi) Di Provenza 03576 2748A Vox, Berlin 1926
16. Visione Venziana (Brogi) A199213b Odeon, Bukarest 1920’s