Forgotten Opera Singers

Forgotten Opera Singers

Jan 9, 2014

Stanisław Gruszczyński (Tenor) ( Ludwinowo 1891 - Milanówek 1959)




                                                               Lohengrin

First he became a waiter; because he could not finance his education, he studied singing by listening sound recordings of other singers. In 1916 he made his debut at the Warsaw Opera as Radames in ‘’Aida’’. He was so successful that he already engaged to sing in Hamburg and Berlin. During the 1920s he made guest appearances in Italy, in particular in Milan and in Madrid. In 1924 he had at the Teatro Massimo, Palermo only low success and decided to leave Italy. He returned to Poland and became a great favourite of the Warsaw Opera. He counted, above all in the Wagner's repertoire, as the successor of the popular tenor Ignacy Dygas. Also as Otello in Verdi's opera of the same name. In 1922 he performed at the Warsaw Opera  in the premiere of the opera ''Hagith'' of  K. Szymanowski. From 1926-31 he was very successful in Warsaw, then, nevertheless, he lost a huge fortune and quickly became a compulsive alcoholic, so he lived almost as a beggar. He died on February 3, 1959 in Milanówek He was endowed with exceptional abilities and major musical memory, learning each role very quickly. He was awarded, among others Officer's Cross of the Order of Polish Rebirth (1955). In Poland he made meteoric career and gained a reputation as one of the most famous Polish opera singers of his time.

Chronology of some appearances

1921 Lisbona Teatro San Carlos Lohengrin (Lohengrin)
1921 Lisbona  Teatro San Carlos Pagliacci (Canio)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE








Syrena
Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Vesti la giubba  18982 3112
Carmen (Bizet): Il fior 18983 3112
Przyjdz (Come to me) (Jerzy Petersburski) 22586 3825

HMV 
Mów do mnie jeszcze (Karlowicz) 222394 AM 814

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Vesti la giubba (Leoncavallo) (w. orchestra)
Carmen (Bizet): Il fior (w. orchestra) Żydówka (Halevy): Rachelo, kiedy Pan
Halka (Moniuszko): Szumią jodły
Hrabina (Moniuszko): Aria
Speak to me yes
Spring waters
Come To Me! 
Otello (Verdi): Niun mi tema
For All Eternity (Angelo Mascheroni)
Andrea Chenier (Giordano): Come un bel dì di maggio

Odeon
Lohengrin (Wagner): Opowiadanie o Graalu
Lohengrin (Wagner): Weselny przebrzmial spiew with Elena Ruszkowska


2 comments:

  1. Hello; while I find your blog interesting, as a native Polish speaker I have a suggestion: please change the names of locations where Gruszczyński was born and died to the nominative case, i.e. to Ludwinowo and Milanówek, respectively. All the best and thank you for the music. :) Aleksandra Sobczak, Warsaw, Poland.

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    Replies
    1. Hello. Thanks a lot for your help
      All the best
      Ashot

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