Fiorello Giraud (Tenor) (Parma 1868 – Parma 1928)

His father Lodovico Giraud (1846–82), was a famous tenor. He studied in Parma and made his début as Lohengrin at Vercelli in 1891. His success was rapid and the following year he created Canio in ‘’Pagliacci’’ at the Teatro Dal Verme, Milan. Unlike Fernando Valero, who created Turiddu in ‘’Cavalleria rusticana’’, Giraud was not invited to sing the part throughout the world, and when engaged at Monte Carlo in 1897 it was only to sing Cassio to Tamagno's Otello. Otherwise, appearances abroad were limited to Spain, Portugal and South America. In Italy his reputation as a Wagnerian tenor grew steadily, and in 1907 he sang Siegfried in the première at La Scala of ‘’Götterdämmerung’’, under Arturo Toscanini. Later in the same season he was also Italy's first Pelléas. Other premières included Vincenzo Tommasini's ‘’Medea’’ (1906, Trieste) and Stefano Donaudy's ‘’Sperduti nel buio’’ (1907, Palermo). His few recordings, which include some Wagner but nothing of Pagliacci, show a strong, vibrant voice used with imagination and skill, though with a limited upper range.

Chronology of some appearances

1900 Teatro alla Fenice Venezia "Iris" with Fausta Labia (Iris), Maria Leonardi (geisha), Giuseppe La Puma (Kyoto), Fancesco Fabbri Boesmi (cieco) and Pio Rosa (merciaiolo/cenciaiolo).

1904 Teatro Costanzi Roma "Lohengrin" with Amelia Karola (Elsa), Elisa Bruno (Ortruda), Antonio Magini-Coletti (Federico di Telramondo) and Luigi Rossato (Enrico l'Uccellatore).

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

 

G&T, Milano 1904-04

Tannhauser (Wagner): Sia lode a te 52047 2190h

Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner): Nel verno al pie 52048 2191h

Oblio (Tosti) 52049 2192h

Ancora (Tosti) 052067 271i

Carmen (Bizet): Il fior 052069 272i

Luisa Miller (Verdi): Quando le sere al placido 052070 273i

Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner): Appena il mite aprile 052071 274i

Gramophone, Milano 1916-03-16
Invano (Tosti) 7-52085 R3847

Gramophone, Milano 1916-03-18

Primavera (Tosti) R3849 7-52089
Serenata (Rimpianto) (Toselli) 7-52091 R3851

Gramophone, Milano 1916-04-01
Ave Maria (Grigolata) 7-52090 R3851
Non m'ama più (Tosti) 7-52086 R3847

Gramophone, Milano 1917-07-18
Jocelyn (Godard): Ninna nanna (Berceuse)  7-252238  20092b
Sérénade d'autrefois (Silvestri) 7-252239  20093½b