Giuseppe Nessi (Tenor) (Bergamo, Italy 1887 - Milan, Italy 1961)

He studied at the conservatory of Bergamo under Vezzani and Melli and debuted in 1916 in Saluzzo as Alfredo in Verdi’s ‘’'La Traviata’’. Then he sang several years in Italian provincial stages as lyrical tenor. The conductor Tullio Serafin advised him to specialize in smaller character roles (comprimario). He was La Scala's leading comprimario tenor between 1921 and 1959 and on 25. 4. 1926 appeared there in the premiere of Puccini’s ‘’Turandot’’ singing the role of Pong. On 19. 1. 1919 Nessi also performed in the premiere of R. Zandonai’s opera ‘’Una Partita’’, on 1. 5. 1924 in Boito’s ‘’Nerone’’, on 12. 1. 1929 in the premiere of  ‘’Il of Re’’ of Giordano, on 16. 1. 1935 in the premiere of the opera ‘’Nerone’’ of Mascagni, on 12. 2. 1936 in Wolf-Ferrari’s ‘’Il Campiello’’, on 23. 3. 1938 in the premiere of the opera ‘’Proserpina’’ of Renzo Bianchi. In 1938 he appeared At the Florence Maggio Musicale in the premiere of the Gian Francecso Malipiero’s opera ‘’Antonio e Cleopatra’’. At the Salzburg Festival he appeared from 1935 to 1939 as Bardolph in Verdi’s ‘’Falstaff’’, from 1937 to 1939 as Don Curzio in ‘’Le nozze di Figaro’’. He made guest appearances in Vienna, sang at the the Arena di Verona (1921, 1924, 1928, 1931, 1949), at Covent Garden (1927-31, 1934-37 and again in 1950), at the Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires (1917, 1919-20, 1925 and 1930) and at the Grand Opéra, Paris (1935), but La Scala remained, however, his real artistic native country. in 1959 he appeared at La Scala in Puccini’s ‘’Gianni Schicchi’’.

Chronology of some appearances

1914 Torino  Teatro Regio Francesca da Rimini (Malatestino)

1915 Bologna  Teatro del Corso Francesca da Rimini (Malatestino)

1919 Bologna  Teatro Comunale Francesca da Rimini (Malatestino)

1920 Parma  Teatro Regio Francesca da Rimini (Malatestino)

1921 Piacenza  Teatro Municipale Francesca da Rimini (Malatestino)

1921 Palermo  Teatro Massimo Francesca da Rimini (Malatestino)

1921 Ravenna  Teatro Alighieri Francesca da Rimini (Malatestino)

1926 Modena  Teatro Municipale Francesca da Rimini (Malatestino)

1926 Bergamo  Teatro Donizetti Francesca da Rimini (Malatestino)

1926 Imola  Teatro Modernissimo Francesca da Rimini (Malatestino)

1926 La Spezia  Politeama Duca di Genova Francesca da Rimini (Malatestino)

1929 Milano  Teatro alla Scala Francesca da Rimini (Malatestino)

1930 Milano  Teatro alla Scala Francesca da Rimini (Malatestino)

1932 Bologna  Teatro Duse Francesca da Rimini (Malatestino)

1937 Milano  Teatro alla Scala Francesca da Rimini (Malatestino)

1940 Roma  Eiar Francesca da Rimini (Malatestino)

1945 Trieste  Teatro Verdi Francesca da Rimini (Malatestino)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Columbia, Milano 1926

Otello (Verdi): Brindisi with Emilio Venturini and  Mariano Stabile D 18015 BX 62

Fonotipia, Milano 11-05-1927

Turandot (Puccini): Terzetto P1 with Emilio Venturini and Aristide Baracchi 120049 xxph5885

Turandot (Puccini): Terzetto P2 with Emilio Venturini and Aristide Baracchi 120049 xxph5886

Fonotipia, Milano 18-10-1927

Carmen (Bizet): Quintetto P1 with Anita Apolloni, Conchita Supervia, Ida Mannarini and Aristide Baracchi  168110  Pho6059

Carmen (Bizet): Quintetto P2 with Anita Apolloni, Conchita Supervia, Ida Mannarini and Aristide Baracchi 168111  Pho6060

Ernani (Verdi): Qual rumore with Vittorio Fullin, Giulio Fregosi, Aristide Baracchi, Antonio Righetti, Tina Poli-Randaccio and Mannarini 120071 XXPh6061

Ernani (Verdi): O sommo Carlo with Vittorio Fullin, Giulio Fregosi, Aristide Baracchi, Antonio Righetti, Tina Poli-Randaccio and Mannarini 120071 XXPh6062

Fonotipia, Milano 1927-10-19

Traviata (Verdi): Scena della borsa pt 1 with Ferdinando Ciniselli, Aristide Baracchi, Wanda Bardone,  Ida Mannarini,  Giuseppe Menni and Giulio  Fregosi  120076, XXPh6067

Traviata (Verdi): Scena della borsa pt 2  with Ferdinando Ciniselli, Aristide Baracchi, Wanda Bardone,  Ida Mannarini,  Giuseppe Menni and Giulio  Fregosi  120076 XXPh6068

Columbia, Milano 1927

Traviata (Verdi): Brindisi  with Alessandro Granda and Aristide Baracchi GQX10169, BX 132

Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti): Chi mi frena with Gino Vanelli, Dino Borgioli, Maria Gentile, Salvatore Baccaloni and Ida Mannarini D 18016  BX 104

Columbia, Milano 1928

Rigoletto (Verdi): Introduzione...Questa o quella with Alessandro Granda D 18053  BX 302

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

HMV, Milano 1928-10-08

Trovatore (Verdi): Di quella pira with Pertile, Lattuada & chorus DB1198 2-054245

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

Telefunken  1942

Falstaff (Verdi): Signore, V'assista il cielo! with Luciano Donaggio, Afro Poli and  Mariano Stabile GX 61009, GX 61009, 026637, 026638