Description

JOSIP RIJAVEC (JOSÉ RIAVEZ) (GRADISCA D’ISONZO, 10 FEBRUARY 1890 – BELGRADE, 30 DECEMBER 1959)

 

 

 

 

His real name was Josip Rijavec. He first studied in Gorizia (Görz) and Ljubljana, then in Vienna under teachers such as Franz Schreker and H. Graedener. He made his debut in 1916 at the Opera House in Zagreb, where he remained until 1926. During this time, he also performed as a guest at the opera houses of Belgrade and Ljubljana. In 1926, he made a guest appearance in Berlin and was engaged by the Städtische Oper Berlin for the 1928-1932 seasons. Guest performances took him to the Vienna State Opera during the 1931-1932 season. Starting in 1931, he was regularly heard with great success at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, where he sang the title role in the 1931 premiere of Igor Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex. From 1932 to 1937, he was a member of the German Theatre in Prague, where he achieved one of his greatest successes as Manrico in Verdi’s Il Trovatore. He made guest appearances at the Dresden State Opera (1927) and at the National Theatre in Prague (1929). As a concert singer, he performed in cities such as Paris (1929), Hamburg (1936, 1937), Copenhagen (1932), and Budapest. In 1937, he returned to his native country, where he continued to perform for over ten years at the opera houses of Zagreb, Belgrade, and Ljubljana. From 1948, he served as a professor at the Belgrade Music Academy. His son, Mario Rijavec, became known as a conductor.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1916-1926 Zagreb Opera House

1928-1932 Berlin Städtischen Oper

1931-1932 Vienna State Opera

1932-1937 Prague German Theatre

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Boheme (Puccini) Che gelida manina HMV 62-696 EH502
2. Boheme (Puccini) Mimì è una civetta Edison Bell Z1081 Z57
3. Carmen (Bizet) Il fior HMV 62-697 EH502
4. Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) Siciliana Parlophon P9159-II 2-20390
5. L’ultima canzone (Tosti) Edison Bell Z. 1082 Z. 55
6. Manon Lescaut (Puccini) Donna non vidi mai Edison Bell Z. 1082 58
7. Otok Bledski (Bledski) Po jezeru bliz Triglava! Edison Bell Z1042 Z 50
8. Rigoletto (Verdi) La donna è mobile Edison Bell Z1081 Z56
9. Soča voda je šumela Slovenske narodne pjesme Edison Bell Z1042 Z 51