John O’Sullivan (Tenor) (Cork, Ireland 1877 – France, Paris 1955)

Werther 

Since 1899 he studied at the Paris Conservatory with Masson. In 1900 he made his debut as comprimario at the Opéra Populaire at the Théâtre de la République in G. Verdi’s ‘’Traviata’’. In 1908 he sang in R. Wagner’s ‘’Tannhauser’’ at the Lyric Theatre in London. Then he made guest appearances in Birmingham, Halifax, Liverpool, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Middlesborough, Hull, Bolton. In 1910 O’Sullivan made his french debut at Toulouse in G. Verdi’s ‘’Rigoletto’’. In 1914 he made his debut at Paris Opera, this time appearing in E. Reyer’s ‘’Sigurd’’. Cleofonte Campanini engaged him for the 1918-1919 season in Chicago. After a successful ‘Gli Ugonotti’’ in Rouen in 1918 he sailed to America for the second time. In the same year in Chicago he performed as Arnoldo in G. Rossini’s ‘’Guglielmo Tell’’ with great success. In 1920 O’Sullivan appeared for the first time in Bordeaux at the Grand Théâtre in ‘’Gli Ugonotti’’. He started his italian career in 1922 appearing for the firs time at the Teatro Lirico in Milan. O’Sullivan sang also in England, Egypt, Portugal, Spain and South America (Rosario, Montevideo, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Santos, Sante Fe). He retired in 1943 and died in Paris from prostate cancer.

Chronology of some appearances

1918 Chicago  Civic Opera House Pagliacci (Canio)
1919 Detroit  Orchestra Hall Carmen (Don Jose)
1919 Chicago  Civic Opera House Carmen (Don Jose)
1922  Milano  Teatro Dal Verme Trovatore (Manrico)
1922  Lisbona  Teatro San Carlos Ugonotti (Raoul)
1922 Milano  Teatro Lirico Ugonotti (Raoul)
1922 Bologna  Teatro Comunale Ugonotti (Raoul)
1922 Parma  Teatro Regio Ugonotti (Raoul)
1923 Piacenza  Teatro Municipale Ugonotti (Raoul)
1923  Roma  Teatro Costanzi Ugonotti (Raoul)
1923 Buenos Ayres  Teatro Colon Dannazione di Faust (Faust)
1923 Buenos Ayres  Teatro Colon Trovatore (Manrico)
1923 Rio de Janeiro  Teatro Municipal Dannazione di Faust (Faust)
1923 Rio de Janeiro  Teatro Municipal Trovatore (Manrico)
1923 San Paulo  Teatro Municipal Dannazione di Faust (Faust)
1923 San Paulo  Teatro Municipal Trovatore (Manrico)
1924   Trieste  Politeama Rossetti Ugonotti (Raoul)
1924 Parma  Teatro Regio Carmen (Don Jose)
1924 Lisbona  Teatro San Carlos Trovatore (Manrico)
1924  Barcellona  Teatro Liceo Ugonotti (Raoul)
1924 Madrid  Teatro Reale Ugonotti (Raoul)
1925 Buenos Ayres  Teatro Coliseo Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)
1925 Alessandria d'Egitto  Teatro Alhambra Trovatore (Manrico)
1925 Rio de Janeiro  Teatro Municipal Trovatore (Manrico)
1925 San Paolo  Teatro Municipal Trovatore (Manrico)
1926  Barcellona  Teatro Liceo Otello (Otello)
1926 Verona  Arena Trovatore (Manrico)
1927 Barcellona  Teatro Olimpia Trovatore (Manrico)
1927 La Valletta/Malta Teatro Reale Trovatore (Manrico)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

 

APGA

Carmen (Bizet): Flower song 096 Unpublished

Lohengrin (Wagner): Récit du Graal 07 Unpublished

Roméo et Juliette (Massenet): Cavatine 06 Unpublished

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Recitar 08 Unpublished

Gramophone, Paris 1916-03-01

Garde à vous les Gars (Beretta) 232796 6408ae

Cabaret des Trois Couleurs (Bouillon) 232680 6409ae

Columbia/Cigale, Milano 1922 (late)

Otello (Verdi): Esultate...Ora per sempre D5374, 70601

Guglielmo Tell (Rossini): O muto asil D4942 70609

Favorita (Donizetti): Una vergine D4941 70612 1922

Ugonotti (Meyerbeer): Stringe il periglio with   Maria Llacer D4968 70685

Columbia/Cigale, Milano 1924-09/10

Aida (Verdi): Celeste Aida unpubl B515

Ugonotti (Meyerbeer): Bianca al par D12459 B518

Carmen (Bizet): Il fior D12459 B532

Ugonotti (Meyerbeer): Stringe il periglio with Dora De Giovanni D12458 B541

Ugonotti (Meyerbeer):Dillo ancor with Dora De Giovanni D12458 B549

Columbia, London 1926-06-21

Otello (Verdi): Ora e per sempre L1806 WAX1663-1

Columbia, London 1926-06-25

Otello (Verdi): Dio mi potevi scagliar L1806 WAX1693

Columbia, London 1926-07-05

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Vesti la giubba D1564 WA3602

Columbia, London 1926-07-07

Trovatore (Verdi): Di quella pira D1573 WA3562

Trovatore (Verdi): Ah! si ben mio D1573 WA3564

Columbia, London 1926-07-08

The Minstrel Boy (Moore) Unpublished WA3571

Columbia, London 1926-07-12

The Harp that once through Tara's Halls Unpublished WA3601

Tosca (Puccini): E lucevan le stelle D1564 WA3602

Columbia, London 1926-07-12

Believe me if all those endearing young charms (Moore) unpubl WA3616

Columbia, London 1926-07-14

Erin, the tear and the smile unpubl WA3628

Odeon, Berlin 1928-06-04

Trovatore (Verdi): Di Quella Pira O-2602 6922

Africana (Meyerbeer): O paradiso P-56005-I 20794

Aida (Verdi): Celeste Aida P56005 2-20795

Parlophon, Berlin 1928-06-08

Otello (Verdi): Nium mi tema  P-9312-I 20805
Otello (Verdi): Ora e per sempre addio P9312 2-20809

John O'Sullivan by Stampanoni