Romano Ciaroff-Ciarini (Tenor) (1878 - Odessa, Ukraine 1964)

                                                                    Lensky

The real surname of this tenor was Gurovich. He studied singing at the St. Petersburg Conservatory wih Gabel. Later he took the lessons in St. Petersburg from Prof. Nicolai. In 1905 (27 march) he appeared at the student's performance of the opera ''Kashchey the immortal'' of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, that produced  as a sign of public protest аgainst of discharge of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov from conservatory. He sang the role of Kashchey. I think this performance was his debut in opera. When Romano Chiaroff-Ciarini completed his study at the conservatory he appeared in Kiev, Odessa, Kharkov, Kazan (1907-1909), then in Ekaterinburg (1909—10), Perm (1909—10, antrepr. A. A. Altshuller), at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg (debut as Lenski). Then he started his international career and appeared in Genova, Venezia, Milan, Florence, Rome, Barcelona (Teatro Liceo, 1912), London,  Zürich, Bucharest,  Warsaw. In 1913 iat the Petersburg National House he appeared in  the operas ‘’Lakme’’ and ‘’The Snow maiden’’. In the 1925-26 season he sang in GATOB. In 1927 he appeared in the cities of SSSR with famous russian sopranos Lidya Lipkovskaya and Valeria Barsova. In august of 1929 Romano Chiaroff-Ciarini sang in Baku. Critics called him russian italian. He Possessed an easy, equal voice of a warm timbre and an extensive range. He easy overcame technical passages of any difficulty. He appeared in more then 30 operas. Sang with George Baklanov, Lidya Lipkovskaya, E. De-Vos Soboleva,  A. Paschalova. He created in Ekaterinburg roles of Hofmann and De Grieux (Manon). From 1950s until his dead Chiaroff-Ciarini taught at the conservatory of Odessa. In the period of World War II he was in evacuation in Tajikstan, and he sang there in hopitals, taught, help young singers in National Opera Theatre. He was a National artist of Tajikstan. One of his last concerts he sang in 1946 in Leningrad.

Chronology of some appearances

1911 Montreaux Kursaal Boheme (Rodolfo)

1912 Brescia Teatro Grande Romeo et Juliette (Romeo)

1913 Barcellona Teatro Liceo Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1915 Venezia Teatro Rossini Favorita (Fernando)

1916 Milano Teatro Carcano Manon (De Grieux)

1917 Genova Politeama Genovese Favorita (Fernando)

1918 Alessandria Teatro Municipale Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1919 Palermo Teatro Massimo Werther (Werther)

1920 Genova Teatro Paganini Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1923 Cagliari Teatro Civico Le Donne Curiose (Florindo)

1925 Bucarest Teatro Opera Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Fonotipia, Milano 1912-04-01

Werther (Massenet): Ah! non mi ridestar 92929 XPh 4819

Romeo et Juliette (Giunod): Deh sorgi, o luce, in ciel   92931 XPh 4822

Fonotipia, Milano 1912-04-02

Pescatori di perle (Bizet): Mi par d'udire ancora 92930 XPh 4824

Manon (Massenet): Il sogno 92895 XPh 4825

Manon (Massenet): Ah! dispar vision  with Ines de Frate?? 92896   XPh  4826

Romeo et Juliette (Gounod):  Ah, ben lo sai 92932 XPh  4827

Fonotipia, Milano 1913-10-16

Gioielli della Madonna (Wolf-Ferrari): Madonna con sospiri 69103 XPh 4959

Gioielli della Madonna (Wolf-Ferrari): Madonna del dolore 69104 XPh 4960

Gioielli della Madonna (Wolf-Ferrari): Prostato nella polvere 69105 XPh 4961

Gioielli della Madonna (Wolf-Ferrari): Sanno odor d’incenso with Zoraide Sarzanini 69106 XPh 4964

Fonotipia, Milano 1917-05-14

Romeo et Juliette (Gounod):  Madrigalo with Maria Perosio 69357 XPh 5252

Favorita (Donizetti): Spirto gentil 69356 XPh 5251

Fonotipia, Milano 1917-05-15
Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini): Di gioia di contento 69280 XPh5175

Fonotipia, Milano 1917-05-18
Puritani (Bellini): A te, o cara 69277 XPh5172