Emilio Venturini (Tenor) (Brescia 1878 – Milan 1952)

He made his professional opera debut in 1900 in Italy where he remained for the next several years. In 1901 he sang the role of Brighella in Mascagni's ‘’Le maschere’’ at the Teatro Regio in Turin. He made his La Scala debut in 1903 as Froh in Wagner's ‘’Das Rheingold’’ and sang in the premiere of Umberto Giordano's ‘’Siberia’’. In 1904, he originated the role of Prince Yamadori in Puccini's ‘’Madama Butterfly’’ at La Scala. In 1905, Venturini joined the roster of the Opéra National de Paris. In 1907 he moved to London to sing with Royal Opera at Covent Garden. In 1910, Venturini became a member of the Chicago Opera Association where he performed roles until the summer of 1917. While in Chicago he sang mostly character parts but did sing some major roles like Turiddu in ‘’Cavalleria rusticana’’ , Edgardo in ‘’Lucia di Lammermoor’’ and the Pinkerton in ‘’Madama Butterfly’’. In 1911 he sang the roles of Cassio in Verdi's ‘’Otello’’ and Spoletta in Puccini's ‘’Tosca’’ at the Metropolitan Opera. Venturini also returned to Italy for brief periods in 1910, 1911, and 1916 to perform roles with the Teatro Massimo in Palermo. In 1921, Venturi joined the roster at La Scala and sang roles with that opera house until 1948. He notably originated the roles of Il Tempiere in Boito's ‘’Nerone’’ in 1924 and Pang in Puccini's ‘’Turandot’’ in 1926. and was the first to record the role of Nereo in Boito's ‘’Mefistofele’’ in the 1931 La Scala recording. 

Chronology of some appearances

1901 Rovereto Giardino Eppler Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)
1903 Brescia Teatro Grande Iris (Cenciaiolo / Merciaiolo)
1905 Parigi Sarah Bernardt Adriana Lecouvreur (Abate)
1907 New York Manhattan Opera House Traviata (Gastone)
1909 Philadelphia Opera Crispino e la Comare (Contino)
1911 Chicago Civic Opera House Otello (Cassio)
1913 Philadelphia Teatro Metropolitan Lucia di Lammermoor (Arturo)
1915 Milano Teatro del Giardino Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)
1918 New York Manhattan Opera Company Puritani (Bruno)
1922 Novara Teatro Coccia Manon Lescaut (Edmondo/Maestro di Ballo/Lampionaio)
1924 Milano Teatro La Scala Boris Godunov (Innocente)
1926 Milano Teatro La Scala Oro Del Reno (Froh)
1928 Milano Teatro La Scala Turandot (Pang)
1930 Milano Teatro La Scala Turandot (Pang)
1932 Milano Teatro La Scala Turandot (Pang)
1934 Parma Teatro Regio Fra' Gherardo di I.Pizzetti (Notaro/Incredulo)
1936 Parma Teatro Regio Andrea Chenier (Incredibile)
1938 Parma Teatro Regio Fanciulla del West (Nick)
1941 Novara Teatro Coccia Lucia di Lammermoor (Arturo)
1945 Parma Teatro Regio Turandot (Pang)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Columbia, Milano 1903?
Favorita (Donizetti): Spirto gentil 10078
Sonnambula (Bellini): Prendi l'anel ti dono 10100

Gramophone, Milano 1920-07-03

Andrea Chénier (Giordano): Signor Chénier with Lupato, Bartolomasi, Garrone, Festa & chorus 2-0254535, S5226

Columbia, Milano 1926?
Otello (Verdi): Brindisi with Mariano Stabile and Giuseppe Nessi D 18015  BX 62

Fonotipia, Milano 11-05-1927
Turandot (Puccini): Terzetto P1 with Giuseppe Nessi and Aristide Baracchi 120049  XXPh 5885
Turandot (Puccini): Terzetto P2 with Giuseppe Nessi and Aristide Baracchi  120049 XXPh 5886

Columbia, Milano 1929-04/05
Otello (Verdi): Brindisi with Stracciari & Nessi GQX10214 WBX522

Columbia, Milano  09-10-1929
Mose in Egitto (Rossini): Dal tuo stella with Nazzareno De Angelis, Ida Mannarini and Elena Cheni GQX 10207 WBX 668-2

Columbia, Milano
Turandot (Verdi): Terzetto delle maschere Part II with Nessi and Baracchi D1663 B2375
Turandot (Verdi): Terzetto delle maschere Part I with Nessi and Baracchi D1663 B2372

Columbia, Milano 1931-11-30
Complete Mefistofele (Boito) with Antonio Melandri, Nazzareno De Angelis, Mafalda Favero and  Giannina Arangi-Lombardi