Description

ALESSANDRO WESSELOWSKY (VESSELOVSKY) (MOSCOW, 1885 – LUINO, 1964)

 

 

 

 

Since 1914, Wesselowsky was a member of the Moscow Sinodal Chorus. During the First World War, he served as an officer. He began his career in 1917 at the Moscow Bolshoi Theatre. In 1920, he appeared in “La fille de Madame Angot” by Charles Lecocq. In 1921, he went on tour with cellist Gregori Pyatigorsky and violinist Mikhakov through West Ukraine, and they eventually arrived in Romania. He then emigrated to France, where he made his debut at the Opéra-Comique as Wilhelm Meister in “Mignon.” In France, he also performed with the Paris Russian Opera. In the 1920s, he sang at the opera house in Belgrade, and then appeared in Barcelona (Teatro Liceo, 1922) and Buenos Aires (Teatro Colón, 1924).

In 1925, Wesselowsky traveled to Italy for further study. The same year, at the invitation of Arturo Toscanini, he made his debut at La Scala in Milan as Vasily Golitsyn in “Khovanshina.” He continued to perform at La Scala until 1950, appearing in works such as “Prince Igor,” “Khovanshina,” “Manon Lescaut,” “Fedora,” “La Traviata,” and “Lohengrin.” Wesselowsky also made guest appearances at the Grand Opéra in Paris (1926, 1938) and sang with success in various Italian opera houses. He performed in many opera premieres at La Scala, including “Il Dibuk,” “Nerone,” and “La Flamma.” After his retirement, he taught singing in Milan and made recordings for Pathe, Columbia, and Brunswick.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1924 Buenos Aires Teatro Colon Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)

1924 Buenos Aires Teatro Colon Mefistofele (Faust)

1924 Madrid  Teatro Reale  Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)

1925 Lisbon Coliseo Recrejos Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1925 Lisbon Coliseo Recrejos Boheme (Rodolfo)

1925 Lisbon Coliseo Recrejos Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)

1925 Lisbon Coliseo Recrejos Rigoletto (Duke)

1925 Madrid  Teatro Reale  Boheme (Rodolfo)

1925 Venezia Teatro Malibran Rigoletto (Duke)

1926 Ginevra  Grand Theatre Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1926 Nice Jetee Mediterranee Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1926 Nice Jetee Mediterranee Rigoletto (Duke)

1926 Madrid  Teatro Reale  Mefistofele (Faust)

1927 Milano Teatro Dal Verme Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1927 Milano Teatro Dal Verme Rigoletto (Duke)

1928 Parma Teatro Regio Rigoletto (Duke)

1928 Como Teatro Sociale Rigoletto (Duke)

1928 Mantova Teatro Sociale Rigoletto (Duke)

1928 Verona Arena Rigoletto (Duke)

1929 Bergamo Teatro Donizetti Lohengrin (Lohengrin)

1930 La Spezia  Politeama Duca di Genova Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1930 Rimini  Politeama Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1931 Caracas  Teatro Municipal Mefistofele (Faust)

1934 Parma Teatro Regio Favorita (Fernando)

1934 Parma Teatro Regio Lohengrin (Lohengrin)

1934 Rio de Janeiro Teatro Municipal Favorita (Fernando)

1935 Casalmaggiore  Teatro Sociale Favorita (Fernando)

1938 Carpi Teatro Comunale Adriana Lecouvreur (Maurizio)

1938 Rovigo Teatro Sociale Adriana Lecouvreur (Maurizio)

1942 Modena Teatro Municipale Mefistofele (Faust)

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Manon (Massenet): Il sogno 37001-B Brunswick
2. Werther (Massenet): Ah! non mi ridestar M 37001-A Brunswick
3. Rigoletto (Verdi): Ella mi fu rapita… Parmi veder le lagrime M 37002-B Brunswick
4. Mefistofele (Boito): Dai campi, dai prati 37002-A Brunswick
5. Rigoletto (Verdi): La donna e mobile D 5452 Columbia, Milano 1926
6. Lohengrin (Wagner): Cigno fedel D5646 B1342 Columbia, Milano 1926
7. Rigoletto (Verdi): Ella mi fu rapita… Parmi veder le lagrime D 16416 Columbia, Milano 1926
8. Tosca (Puccini): E lucevan le stelle D5454 Columbia, Milano 1926
9. Manon (Massenet): Ah! dispar vision D 5453 Columbia, Milano 1926
10. Manon (Massenet) Il sogno D5453 B1091 Columbia, Milano 1926
11. Boheme (Puccini): Che gelida manina WB 51 Columbia, Milano 1926
12. Rigoletto (Verdi): Questa o quella D 5452 Columbia, Milano 1926
13. Werther (Massenet): Ah! Non mi ridestar DB Columbia, Milano 1926
14. Manon (Massenet): Il sogno N80010 Pathé, Milano
15. Werther (Massenet): Ah! non mi ridestar N80012 Pathé, Milano