Description

JOAN RAVENTÓS (BARCELONA, 19 JULY, 1883 – BARCELONA, 25 MAY, 1947)

Joan Raventós i Babot, an accomplished Catalan tenor, began his musical education at the Conservatorio del Liceo in Barcelona, where he studied under the pedagogue Antonio Ribera. His professional debut came in 1911 at the Teatro Liceo in Barcelona, where he performed in Il barbiere di Siviglia by G. Rossini, alongside baritone Riccardo Stracciari and soprano Elvira De Hidalgo.

Raventós’ early career saw him quickly rise to prominence, particularly in Wagnerian roles. In 1911, he performed Die Walküre at the Liceo, singing the first act in Catalan—a unique aspect of his early performances. He returned to the Liceo in 1912 for Tannhäuser, further solidifying his reputation in the demanding Wagnerian repertoire. His talent soon led him to establish himself in Munich in the 1920s, where he gained considerable success across major European cities such as Berlin, Munich, and Vienna.

In Berlin, Raventós scored a significant success in Les contes d’Hoffmann by J. Offenbach, and his performances at the Volksoper in Vienna were particularly well-received. His career was notably international, yet he frequently returned to his native Catalonia. In 1936, he participated in the premiere of Antoni Massana’s opera Canigó in Barcelona.

Following his retirement from the stage, Raventós settled in Munich, where he spent nearly two decades as a professor of singing, imparting his knowledge to a new generation of vocalists. He was married to soprano Nina Grieg-Halvorsen, daughter of the Norwegian composer Johan Halvorsen and niece of the celebrated composer Edvard Grieg.

Chronology of some appearances

1911 Barcelona Teatro Liceo Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1911 Barcelona Teatro Liceo Die Walkure (Siegmund)

1911 Barcelona Teatro Liceo Tannhäuser (Tannhäuser)

TRACKLIST

1. Africana (Meyerbeer) O paradiso 29610a 2121 Homokord, 1907
2. Au Rose 3118A 1827 Homokord, 1907
3. Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) Brindisi 12412A 2129 Homokord, 1907
4. Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) Siciliana 2128 Homokord, 1907
5. Hoffmanns Erzahlungen (Offenbach) Trinklied B861 Edison
6. Martha (Flotow) Ach so fromm 618-A 1829 Homokord, 1907
7. Martha (Flotow) Mag der Himmel euch vergeben 1818-A B861 1830 Homokord, 1907
8. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Vesti la giubba 1128A M30T 2122 Homokord, 1907
9. Favorite (Donizetti) Spirto gentil 2123 Homokord, 1907