Forgotten Opera Singers

Forgotten Opera Singers

Aug 19, 2011

Elvino Ventura (Tenor) ( Palermo 1873 - Milan 1931)




He studied with Martin in Milan and made his debut in 1894 at the Teatro Epicarmo in Noto and soon widely recognized as one of the most important tenors in Italy. In 1896 he appeared at the Teatro Regio in Turin as Marziale in  ''Forza dell’amore'' of  A. Buzzi-Peccia. In 1900 he sang at the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa the role of Alfredo in ''La Traviata''. The next year, Ventura appeared at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo as Osaka in Mascagni's ''Iris'' with Fausta Labia (the wife of the famous tenor Emilio Perea), one of his most famous roles. In 1901 he created the role of Florindo in the premiere of Mascagni's ''Le Maschere'' at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice. In 1909 with the Castellano Opera Company he was heard in Holland and Belgium. He appeared in almost all significant italian opera stages, also made guest appearances in London, Paris, Buenos Aires, Madrid, St. Petersburg and Warsaw. In his book Titta Ruffo wrote that he had the honour to sing with Elvino Ventura and soprano Pandolfini in ''La Traviata''. He was one of the most prolific recording opera singers of his time. His largest group of records was made for Odeon, Fonotipia, Zonophone, APGA, Pathe and Edison.

Chronology of appearances

1895 Catania Teatro Nazionale Rigoletto (Duca)
1897 Lecce Politeama Principe di Napoli Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1899 Montevideo Teatro Solis Boheme (Rodolfo)
1901 Venezia   Teatro La Fenice Le Maschere (Florindo)
1903 Pietroburgo Nuovo Conservatorio Rigoletto (Duca)
1905 Messina  Teatro Vittorio Emanuele Adriana Lecouvreur (Maurizio)
1907 Costantinopoli Teatro Petit Champs Boheme (Rodolfo)
1909 Gand Petit Theatre Gioconda (Enzo)
1911 Catania Teatro Bellini Thais (Nicia)
1913 Pavia Teatro Fraschini    Rigoletto (Duca)
1915 Venezia   Teatro La Fenice Linda di Chamonix (Carlo)
1917 Alessandria d'Egitto Kursaal Pagliacci (Canio)
1920 Lugano Teatro Apollo Traviata (Alfredo)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE









Zonophone 1902/1903
Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): O Lola (Siciliana) 12702

G&T, Milano 1903-10 to 12
Lohengrin (Wagner): Merce cigno gentil 52736 Con187 
Fedora (Giordano): La morte di Fedora with Emma Carelli 054034 Con 651
Traviata (Verdi): Un dì felice with Giannina Russ 054030 Con630
Favorita (Donizetti) Spirito gentil 052003 Con557

Odeon, Milano 1905-03-
Cavalleria rusticana (Mascagni): Brindisi 37005 xm 63
Fra Diavolo (Auber): Del Capitan alla salute! with Corradetti and Luppi 37017 Xm65
Iris (Mascagni): Apri la tua finestra 37010 xm 51
Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Vesti la giubba 37025 Xm38
Iris (Mascagni): Or dammi il braccio tuo 37038 xm 52
Favorita (Donizetti): E fia vero? with Oreste Luppi  37002 Xm57
Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): Siciliana 37020 Xm62

Odeon, Milano 1905/1906
Adriana Lecouvreur (Cilea): Ma dunque e vero? with Luisa Bianco-Tamagno 37214 xm 568

Fonotipia, Milano 1905-09-01
Les hugenots (Meyerbeer): Plus blanche 39329 xPh 359
La traviata (Verdi): Un dì, felice, eterea with Fausta Labia 39332 xPh 343

Fonotipia, Milano 1905-09-13
Manon Lescaut (Puccini): Donna non vidi mai 39293 XPh 323

Fonotipia, Milano 1905-09-21
Manon Lescaut (Puccini): Guardate pazzo son 39328 XPh 338

Fonotipia, Milano 1905-09-22
Traviata (Verdi): Parigi, o cara with Giuseppina Finzi-Magrini 39682 XPh 1911

Fonotipia, Milano 1905-11-09
Iris (Mascagni): O come al tuo sottile 39317 XPh 383

Fonotipia, Milano 1905-11-18
Traviata (Verdi):  Prendi, quest'e l'imma with Russ and Corradetti 39380 XPh 476

Odeon, Milano 1906.02/03
Mignon (Thomas): Ah! non credevi tu  37287 xm 616
Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti): Tombe degl'avi miei 39567  xm 697
Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti): Fra poco a me ricovero 39568 xm 617

Fonotipia, Milano 1906-03-09
Manon (Massenet): Fanciulla, il vostro nome with Giorgina Caprile 39552 XPh1690

Fonotipia, Milano 1906-05-25
Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): Tu qui Santuzza? with Maria De Macchi unpubl. XPh1906
Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): No, no, Turiddu Maria De Macchi unpubl. XPh1914
Rigoletto (Verdi): E'il sol dell'anima with Giuseppina Finzi-Magrini 39681 XPh 1902

Fonotipia, Milano 1907-10-15
Cavalleria rusticana (Mascagni): O Lola 62115 XPh 2676
Iris (Mascagni): Apri la tua finestra 62117 XPh 2682
Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) Tombe degl'avi miei 92006, XPh 2680
Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti): Fra poco a me ricovero 92007 XPh 2681

A.P.G.A. Paris, 1908/09 
Trovatore (Verdi): Di quella pira 35190
Tosca (Puccini) E lucevan le stelle 35175
Tosca (Puccini) Recondita armonia  35174

Aérophone 
Manon (Massenet) Ah dispar vision 578

Edison 4-min cylinders, Milano? 1912?
Traviata (Verdi): Lunge da lei...De miei bollenti spiriti BA 28138

Pathé, London 1913?
O sole mio (di Capua) 93199


1 comment:

  1. MOLTO BELLO!!! Thank you for sharing this valuable biographical information.

    ReplyDelete