Description

JOSÉ MARDONES (FONTECHA, ÁLAVA, SPAIN, AUGUST 14, 1868 – MADRID, SPAIN, MAY 4, 1932)

 

 

 

 

His full name was José García de Mardones Ortiz de Pereda. He first sang in the choir of the Cathedral in Palencia. At the Conservatory of Madrid, he was dismissed as completely untalented and largely trained himself autodidactically. He likely first appeared in Madrid as an oratorio singer. In 1891, he made his first operatic appearances at the Teatro de la Opera in Buenos Aires and at the Opera of Rio de Janeiro. At the turn of the century, he gave guest performances at major European opera houses, such as Covent Garden Opera in London, Teatro San Carlos in Lisbon, as well as the opera houses in Madrid, Barcelona, and Milan’s La Scala. During the 1909-1910 season, and again from 1913 to 1916, he performed at the Boston Opera. In 1913, he sang the bass solo in Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem in Rome under the direction of A. Toscanini. In the 1916-1917 season, he undertook a major North American tour with Max Rabinoff’s Boston National Opera Company, earning spectacular success as Mefistofele and Archibaldo in I. Montemezzi’s L’amore dei tre re. From 1917 to 1926, he was a member of the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where he made his debut as Ramfis in Aida. He appeared at the Metropolitan Opera for nine seasons, totaling 264 performances of 21 operas. In 1922, he participated in the American premiere of A. Catalani’s Loreley at the Metropolitan Opera. In 1925, he sang there opposite Rosa Ponselle in splendid performances of G. Spontini’s opera La Vestale. After his retirement from the Metropolitan Opera, he continued his stage and concert career in his Spanish homeland for a few years.

Rosa Ponselle said, “He had the greatest bass voice I ever heard. Nobody could even come close to that sound. It was like the lowest pedal on the pipe organ of a great cathedral—a real basso profondo. He had everything vocally: a huge voice, excellent technique, and a top that could go way up into the baritone range.” You could hear such strong falsetto coordination in his sound without sacrificing any of the lower register, except to sing quietly. Perfect chiaroscuro! Mardones also did not have the “thick,” muffled, distorted sound that most basses and baritones have today. His vowels were clear, with plenty of squillante.”

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1905 Montevideo Teatro Urquiza Boheme (Colline)

1908 Lisbona Teatro San Carlos Barbiere di Siviglia (Don Basilio)

1909 Lisbona Teatro San Carlos Ballo in maschera (Samuel)

1909 Lisbona Teatro San Carlos Mefistofele (Mefistofele)

1909 Boston Opera House Boheme (Colline)

1910 Boston Opera House Barbiere di Siviglia (Don Basilio)

1910 Boston Opera House Carmen (Escamillo)

1910 Boston Opera House Mefistofele (Mefistofele)

1910 Boston Opera House Rigoletto (Sparafucile)

1910 Chicago Auditorium Boheme  (Colline)

1910 Pittsburgh  Nixon Theater Boheme (Colline)

1910 St. Louis  Odeon Theater Boheme (Colline)

1910 Cincinnati  Music Hall Boheme (Colline)

1910 Springfield  Auditorium Boheme (Colline)

1910 Providence  Opera House Boheme (Colline)

1910 New Haven Opera House Boheme (Colline)

1910 Montevideo  Teatro Solis Boheme (Colline)

1910 Montevideo  Teatro Solis Rigoletto (Sparafucile)

1911 Portland Auditorium Boheme (Colline)

1911 Springfield Opera Carmen (Escamillo)

1912 Boston Opera House Boheme (Colline)

1912 Boston Opera House Rigoletto (Sparafucile)

1912 Winnipeg Walker Theater Barbiere di Siviglia (Don Basilio)

1912 Oshkosh Appleton Theater Barbiere di Siviglia (Don Basilio)

1912 Sheboygan Opera House Barbiere di Siviglia (Don Basilio)

1912 Lethbridge Majestic Theater Barbiere di Siviglia (Don Basilio)

1913 Boston Opera House Barbiere di Siviglia (Don Basilio)

1913 Boston Opera House Carmen (Escamillo)

1913 Boston Opera House Rigoletto (Sparafucile)

1914 Boston Opera House Carmen (Escamillo)

1915 Boston Opera House Boheme (Colline)

1915 Boston Opera House Carmen (Escamillo)

1915 Washington Belasco Theater Boheme (Colline)

1915 Philadelphia Teatro Metropolitan Carmen (Escamillo)

1916 Cleveland Keith’s Hippodrome Boheme (Colline)

1916 Detroit Lyceum Theater Boheme (Colline)

1916 Grand Rapids Opera House Boheme (Colline)

1916 Syracuse Wieting Opera House Boheme (Colline)

1916 Toronto Royal Alexandra Boheme (Colline)

1916 Atlanta Opera Theater Boheme (Colline)

1916 Birmingham Bijou Theater Boheme (Colline)

1916 Cincinnati Music Hall Boheme (Colline)

1919 Philadelphia Teatro Metropolitan Barbiere di Siviglia (Don Basilio)

1920 Philadelphia Teatro Metropolitan Barbiere di Siviglia (Don Basilio)

1923 Philadelphia Academy of Music Boheme (Colline)

1924 New York Teatro Metropolitan Rigoletto (Sparafucile)

1925 New York Teatro Metropolitan Rigoletto (Sparafucile)

1926 Philadelphia Academy of Music Barbiere di Siviglia (Don Basilio)

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

A través del desierto (Blanco) Columbia 123-M W95099 between 1925 and 1927 New York, New York

Aida (Verdi) Nume custode e vindice (w. Zenatello & chorus) H1065 Columbia, New York 1912-04-12

Alma Navarra (Berruezo, Pola y Cofarelo) Romanza de Santiago Columbia RS 2010

Asleep in the Deep (Petrie) Columbia  A6134 49671 between 1919 and 1923 New York, New York

Ay, Ay, Ay! (Vidalita Argentina) Columbia A3309 79012 3 2 1920 New York, New York

Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) La calunnia Columbia A 5200 30423 between January and April 1910 New York, New York

Bein batean Loyolan zortziko Columbia RS 2007 K 1369

Boheme (Puccini) Vecchia zimarra Columbia A846 4427 approximately 1910 New York, New York

Border Ballad (W. Scott & H. Cowen) Columbia RS 2009 K 1698

Brindo a tu Salud (Anglada) Columbia 65026D 49420 approximately 1918 New York, New York

Carmen (Bizet) Chanson du toréador Columbia S5081 56007 December 1909 or January 1910 Buenos Aires, Argentina. Casa Tagini

Carmen (Bizet) Toreador song Columbia A6095 49438 approximately 1918 New York, New York

Dame más (Anglada) canción española Columbia S 11

El Arriero (My Love Is A Muleteer) (Di Nogero) Columbia A3309 78149 10 23 1918 New York, New York

El artillero (Anglada) Columbia S5124 56008 December 1909 or January 1910 Buenos Aires, Argentina. Casa Tagini

El Guitarrico (Soriano) Columbia A5202 30449 4 15 1910 New York, New York