Carlo Broccardi (Tenor) (Alessandria 1886 - Milano 1953)

He was an Italian operatic tenor who had an active international career during the first third of the 20th century. He notably sang for the first complete recordings of Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto (1915, the Duke of Mantua) and Giacomo Puccini's Tosca (1919, Cavaradossi); both for His Master's Voice. He also made recordings for the Fonografia Nazionale and Kalliope record labels.Broccardi studied singing in Milan with Antonio Aversa. He made his professional opera debut in 1911 at the Teatro Corso in Bologna as the title hero in Richard Wagner's Lohengrin. He was soon engaged with major opera houses throughout Italy, including the Teatro Carlo Felice, the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, the Teatro di San Carlo, and the Teatro Regio di Torino. In 1919 he made his debut at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome as the Duke of Mantua in Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto. In 1922 Broccardi performed several parts opposite Toti dal Monte at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo; including the Duke of Mantua, Giuseppe Hagenbacha in Alfredo Catalani's La Wally, and Pinkerton in Puccini's Madama Butterfly. In 1924 he sang the role of Osaka in Pietro Mascagni's Iris at the Teatro Municipale in Piacenza. In 1925 he performed the role of Enzo Grimaldo in La Gioconda at La Fenice opposite Tina Poli-Randaccio in the title role.[3] In 1926 he made his debut at La Scala in Milan and at the Liceu in Barcelona. Also that year he undertook a concert tour of Spain. He appeared as a guest artist at the Teatro Colon and other South American theatres during the 1920s. He retired from the stage sometime during the early 1930s. In 1951 he became a resident of the Casa di Riposo per Musicisti.

Chronology of some appearances

1911 Bologna Teatro Del Corso Lohengrin (Lohengrin)
1912 Roma Teatro Adriano La Vendetta Corsa di A.Marsick
1913 Genova Politeama Genovese Lucia di Lammermoor (Edgardo)
1914 Cremona Teatro Ponchielli Rigoletto (Duca)
1915 Palermo Teatro Massimo Concerto
1916 Barcellona Teatro Liceo Rigoletto (Duca)
1917 Udine Aperto al fronte Concerto
1918 Roma Teatro Costanzi Rigoletto (Duca)
1919 Venezia Teatro Rossini Lucia di Lammermoor (Edgardo)
1920 Bari Teatro Petruzzelli Mefistofele (Faust)
1921 Livorno Teatro Avvalorati Lodoletta (Flammen)
1922 Genova Politeama Genovese Mefistofele (Faust)
1923 Reggio Emilia Teatro Municipale Gioconda (Enzo)
1924 Genova Teatro Carlo Felice Iris (Osaka)
1925 Torino Teatro Regio Rigoletto (Duca)
1927 Milano Politeama Milanese Rigoletto (Duca)
1928 Genova Teatro Ligure della Certosa Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)
1930 Fano Teatro Della Fortuna Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)
1931 Savona Teatro Chiabrera Rigoletto (Duca)

RECORDING FOR SALE

Gramophone, Milano 1916
Complete Rigoletto (Verdi) with Giuseppe Danise, Ayres Borghi-Zerni, Vincenzo Bettoni and Olga Simzis

Gramophone, Milano 1916-03-29

Rigoletto: E il sol dell'anima with Ayres Borghi – Zerni   2-0254018, S5552

Fonotecnica
Rigoletto (Verdi): La donna è mobile B3003 3003
Rigoletto (Verdi): Questa o quella B3004 3004