GIOVANNI
MARTINELLI (MONTAGNANA, ITALY, 22 OCTOBER, 1885 – NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, USA,
2 FEBRUARY, 1969)
He was the eldest of
his parents' 14 children. As a child he learned to play the clarinet; during
his military service he was a clarinetist in a military band. The Kapellmeister
noticed his beautiful voice and he then was trained by Giuseppe Mandolini in Milan.
He made his concert debut in Milan in 1910 in G. Rossini's Stabat Mater. He
made his stage debut at the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan at the end of December
1910 as the title character in G. Verdi's "Ernani". His career
developed very quickly. When Puccini heard him, at the European (and Italian)
premiere of his opera "La Fanciulla del West" in 1911 at the Teatro
Costanzi in Rome, he gave him the role of Dick Johnson in the last three
performances (after Amedeo Bassi creates them in the actual premiere). would
have). Toscanini had him sing the same role in the 1912 premiere of the opera
at La Scala in Milan. He then sang this role in the first performances of this
opera in Naples, Brescia and Genoa, as well as at the Monte Carlo Opera. In
1912 he made his debut at the Covent Garden Opera in London as Cavaradossi in
"Tosca" and sang at this house in the following years, among others,
Canio in "Pagliacci", Pinkerton in "Madama Butterfly",
Rodolfo in "La Bohème" (with Nellie Melba as Mimi), Dick Johnson
(1912), Gennaro in "I Gioielli della Madonna" by E. Wolf-Ferrari
(1913 in the London premiere of this opera), Paolo in "Francesca da
Rimini" by R. Zandonai (1914 also in the premiere of the opera, he also
attended the premiere at La Scala in Milan in 1916) and Riccardo in G. Verdi's
"Ballo in maschera". In 1913 he accepted a call to the Metropolitan
Opera in New York, and until 1945 he worked as the celebrated first tenor at
this opera house, where he presented the first role as Rodolfo in "La Bohème".
When the great tenor Enrico Caruso heard him there in 1913, he gave him the
costume he had worn as Canio in the "Pagliacci". Giovanni Martinelli
took part in a large number of world premieres during his more than thirty-year
affiliation with the Metropoliotan Opera: here he sang in the world premiere of
"Madame Sans-Gêne" by U. Giordano (as Lefèvre) on January 25, 1915,
on January 28, 1916 in "Goyescas" by E. Granados (as Fernando), in
1916 in the American premiere of R. Zandonai's "Francesca da Rimini"
(as Paolo). In 1920 he was heard in the first performances of P. Tchaikovsky's
"Eugene Onegin" (as Lenski) and G. Verdi's "Don Carlo" (as
Carlo), in 1932 in "Simon Boccanegra" by G. Verdi (as Gabriele
Adorno), in 1928 in "La Campana sommersa" by O. Respighi (as Henry).
He also sang at the Metropolitan Opera in the premieres of C. M von Weber's
Oberon (1918 as Hüon) and E. Wolf-Ferrari's "I Gioielli della
Madonna" (1925 as Gennaro). Of the roles he took over at the Metropolitan
Opera, Radames in "Aida", José in "Carmen", Manrico in
"Trovatore", Canio, De Grieux in G. Puccini's "Manon
Lescaut", Alvaro in "La forza del destino", Raoul in
"Huguenots", Jean in "Le Prophète" and Vasco in
"L'Africaine" by G. Meyerbeer, Arnoldo in G. Rossini's "Wilhelm
Tell", Eleazar in "La Juive" by F. Halévy, Andrea Chénier by U.
Giordano, Dick Johnson, Enzo in "La Gioconda", Loris in U. Giordano's
"Fedora" and Milio in R. Leoncavallo's "Zazà". After the
death of Enrico Caruso, he was widely regarded as one of the leading Italian
tenors of his artistic generation. From New York he undertook guest
performances in music centers all over the world. In 1914 he took part in the
premiere of A. Ponchielli's opera "I Mori di Valenza" at the Monte
Carlo Opera. In 1916 and 1921 he gave brilliant guest performances at the
Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, in the 1928-1929 season at the Rome Opera
(including in "La Campana sommersa" by O. Respighi), in 1929 at the
Teatro Dal Verme in Milan. In 1937 he sang the title role in G. Verdi's
"Otello" at the Covent Garden Opera in London during the Coronation
Season, which has been his star role ever since. In 1937 he made guest
appearances in Paris, then also at the operas in Chicago and San Francisco, as
Otello, which he then also performed at the Metropolitan Opera. In 1939 he was
heard at the Chicago Opera as Tristan in R. Wagner’s "Tristan und
Isolde" with Kirsten Flagstad as Isolde. In 1942 he sang for a season at
the Rio de Janeiro Opera. In the USA he appeared with the San Francisco Opera
(1923-1939), the Chicago Opera (1934-1941), the Opera Houses of St. Louis
(1934-1941), Cincinnati (1934-1944 at the Zoo Opera) and Philadelphia
(1945-1950), and at the Festival at the Summer Opera at Ravinia. During his
many years at the Metropolitan Opera since 1913, he has sung 36 different roles
in 603 performances in 32 seasons (in their New York home). His last role was
Pollione in "Norma" at the Metropolitan Opera in March 1945; in
November 1963 he appeared there again in a gala concert on the occasion of his
50th anniversary, after he had officially ended his career in 1950. In 1967, at
the age of 82, he sang the Kaiser in G. Puccini's "Turandot" at the
Seattle Opera. From 1946 he worked as a teacher in New York.
TRACKLIST
Bohème (Puccini) Che
gelida manina 82515 1229-S1A Edison, 1912-07
Gioconda (Ponchielli)
Cielo e mar 83002 1230-S2B Edison, 1912-07
Manon Lescaut
(Puccini) Donna non vidi mai 82507 1232-S2B Edison, 1912-07
Rigoletto (Verdi) La
donna è mobile 82515 1231-S3C Edison, 1912-07
Tosca (Puccini) E
lucevan le stelle 82036 1216-S2B Edison, 1912-07
Tosca (Puccini)
Recondita armonia 82036 1215-S1A Edison, 1912-07
Bohème (Puccini) Che
gelida manina 74381 C14236-1 Victor, 1913-12-24
Aida (Verdi) Se quel
guerrier... Celeste Aida 74424 C14237-5 Victor, 1914-11-25
Ballo in maschera
(Verdi) Di tu se fedele 64487 B15666-2 Victor, 1915-02-03
Gioconda (Ponchielli)
Cielo e mar 64409 B14340-1 Victor, 1914-01-16
Manon Lescaut
(Puccini) Donna non vidi mai 64410 B14341-1 Victor, 1914-01-16
Pagliacci
(Leoncavallo) Vesti la giubba 64484 B15546-1 Victor, 1914-12-24
Rigoletto (Verdi) La
donna è mobile 64382 B14238-3 Victor, 1914-01-16
Tosca (Puccini) E
lucevan le stelle 64393 B14277-1 Victor, 1914-01-08
Tosca (Puccini) E
lucevan le stelle 64393 B14277-2 Victor, 1914-12-24
Tosca (Puccini)
Recondita armonia 64420 B14276-1 Victor, 1914-01-08
Africaine (Meyerbeer)
O Paradiso 74440 C15944-1 Victor, 1915-04-23
Carmen (Bizet) Au
quartier pour l'appel (w. Farrar) 88532 C16031-4 Victor, 1915-05-19
Carmen (Bizet) C'est
toi (w. Farrar) 88533 C16032-2 Victor, 1915-05-19
Carmen (Bizet) Halte
la! Qui va la! (w. Farrar) 88536 C16030-2 Victor, 1915-05-17
Carmen (Bizet) Je
t'aime encore (w. Farrar) 88531 C16037-2 Victor, 1915-05-19
Carmen (Bizet) La
fleur 74391 C16020-2 Victor, 1915-05-11
Cavalleria Rusticana
(Mascagni) O Lola (harp Lapitino) 64544 B16709-5 Victor, 1915-10-29
Ernani (Verdi) Come
rugiada al cespite 64514 B16021-1 Victor, 1915-05-11
Ideale (Tosti) (harp
Lapitino) 64486 B15661-2 Victor, 1915-02-03
Rigoletto (Verdi)
Questa o quella 64286 B16710-3 Victor, 1915-10-29
Serenata (Mascagni)
74426 C15665-1 Victor, 1915-02-03
Trovatore (Verdi) Ah
si ben mio 74439 C15907-2 Victor, 1915-04-16
Trovatore (Verdi) Di
quella pira 64505 B15943-1 Victor, 1915-04-23
Trovatore (Verdi)
Miserere (w. Destinn & chorus) 88530 C15906-2 Victor, 1915-04-16
Lucia di Lammermoor
(Donizetti) Fra poco a me ricovero 74483 C17339-1 Victor, 1916-03-20
Martha (Flotow)
M'appari 74469 C17340-4 Victor, 1916-03-28
Mattinata
(Leoncavallo) 64595 B17385-1 Victor, 1916-03-28
Ouvre ton coeur
(Bizet) 64574 B17384-3 Victor, 1916-03-28
Don Pasquale
(Donizetti) Com'è gentil (w. chorus) 64700 B19974-1 Victor, 1917-06-01
Guillaume Tell
(Rossini) Ah, Mathilde (w. Journet) 76032 C19136-2 Victor, 1917-01-26
Iris (Mascagni) Apri
la tua finestra (harp Lapitino) 64652 B17613-5 Victor, 1917-01-19
Lucia di Lammermoor
(Donizetti) Tu che a Dio (w. chorus) 74537 C19973-1 Victor, 1917-06-01
Traviata (Verdi) Dei
miei bollenti spiriti 74518 C19137-1 Victor, 1917-01-26
Bohème (Puccini) O
soave fanciulla (w. Alda) 88598 C22245-2 Victor, 1918-09-20
Faust (Gounod) Salut
demeure 74573 C21429-2 Victor, 1918-01-25
L'Ultima canzone
(Tosti) 74517 C17614-4 Victor, 1918-02-14
Madama Butterfly
(Puccini) O quanti occhi fisi (w. Alda) 89163 C22246-1 Victor, 1918-09-20
O ben tornato amore
(Roxas) 64772 B21428-2 Victor, 1918-01-25
Werther (Massenet)
Pourquoi me reveiller 64774 B21430-4 Victor, 1918-02-14
Eugen Onegin
(Tchaikovsky) Lontan, lontan 74712 C24931-3 Victor, 1920-02-09
Zazà (Leoncavallo) O
mio piccolo tavolo 74683 C24930-1 Victor, 1920-02-09
Don Carlo (Verdi) Dio
che nell'alma (w. de Luca) 89160 C25179-2 Victor, 1921-04-11
Zazà (Leoncavallo) E
un riso gentil 66062 B26164-1 Victor, 1922-03-16
Giovinezza (Blanc)
74809 C27527-2 Victor, 1923-02-01
Guillaume Tell
(Rossini) O muto asil 74800 C27526-2 Victor, 1923-02-01
Guillaume Tell
(Rossini) Troncar suoi di (w. de Luca & Mardones) 95213 C27392-4 Victor,
1923-01-23
Aida (Verdi) La fatal
pietra (w. Ponselle) ABHB3 C29451-1 Victor, 1924-02-08 (4)
Aida (Verdi) La tra
foreste (w. Ponselle) VB73 C29447-2 Victor, 1924-02-07
Aida (Verdi) O terra
addio (w. Ponselle) ABHB3 C29450-1 Victor, 1924-02-08
Aida (Verdi) Pur ti
riveggo (w. Ponselle) VB73 C29446-2 Victor, 1924-02-07
Juive (Halévy) Dieu,
que ma voix 6545 CVE31363-5 Victor, 1925-06-22
Juive (Halévy)
Rachel, quand du Seigneur 6545 CVE31364-6 Victor, 1925-06-22
Nina (Tanara) 1100
BVE29444-4 Victor, 1925-06-22
Torna a Surriento (de
Curtis) 1100 BVE29445-5 Victor, 1925-06-22
Aida (Verdi) La fatal
pietra... Morir, si pura e bella... O terra addio, pt 1, pt 2 (w.
Ponselle) 1744, 1744, 1745, 1745, BVE35459-3, BVE35460-3, BVE35461-1,
BVE35462-2 Victor, 1926-05-17
Aida (Verdi) Se quel
guerrier... Celeste Aida 6595 CVE14237-7 Victor, 1926-03-10
Andrea Chénier
(Giordano) Un dì, all'azzurro 6707 CVE34944-2 Victor, 1926-03-12
Bohème (Puccini) Che
gelida manina 6595 CVE14236-4 Victor, 1926-03-10
Fedora (Giordano)
Amor ti vieta 1200 BVE34941-5 Victor, 1926-04-07
Fedora (Giordano) Mia
madre, la mia vecchia madre 1200 BVE34942-2 Victor, 1926-03-11
Gesu bambino (Yon)
(w. Ladies' Chorus) 6602 CVE34996-3 Victor, 1926-04-07
Giovinezza (Blanc)
6581 CVE27527-4 Victor, 1926-03-11
Hosanna (Granier)
6602 CVE34997-2 Victor, 1926-04-07
La leggenda del Piave
(Mario) 6581 CVE34943-2 Victor, 1926-03-11
Rigoletto (Verdi) La
donna è mobile 1208 BVE14238-9 Victor, 1926-04-08
Tosca (Puccini) E
lucevan le stelle 1208 BVE14277-5 Victor, 1926-03-10
Aida (Verdi) Nume
custode e vindice (w. Pinza & Anthony) 8111 CVE41076-2 Victor, 1927-11-29
Andrea Chénier
(Giordano) Come un bel dì di maggio 6707 CVE34998-4 Victor, 1927-03-17
Cavalleria Rusticana
(Mascagni) Mamma, quel vino 6637 CVE37896-1 Victor, 1927-04-15
Cavalleria Rusticana
(Mascagni) Preludio e Siciliana (O Lola) 8109 CVE40721-1 Victor, 1927-11-15
Forza del destino
(Verdi) Invano Alvaro... Le minaccie (w. de Luca) 8085, 8085, CVE41215-2,
CVE41216-2 Victor, 1927-12-08
Forza del destino
(Verdi) O tu che in seno 6637 CVE37853-1 Victor, 1927-03-17
Pagliacci
(Leoncavallo) No, Pagliaccio non son (w. Anthony) 6754 CVE41045-2 Victor,
1927-11-17
Pagliacci
(Leoncavallo) Vesti la giubba 6754 CVE15546-1 Victor, 1927-11-15
Trovatore (Verdi) Di
quella pira (w. Anthony & chorus (Setti)) 8109 CVE41046-2 Victor,
1927-11-17
Zazà (Leoncavallo) E
un riso gentil AGSA23 BVE26164-4 Victor, 1927-11-15
Forza del destino
(Verdi) Io muoio, confessione... Non imprecare (w. Ponselle & Pinza) 8104,
8104, CVE41625-2, CVE41626-2 Victor, 1928-01-18
Juive (Halévy) O Dieu
de nos pères 8165 CVE49015-2 Victor, 1928-12-24
Juive (Halévy) Si
trahison ou perfidité 8165 CVE49016-1 Victor, 1928-12-24
Trovatore (Verdi) Ai
nostri monti (w. Homer) 8105 CVE41606-2 Victor, 1928-01-10
Trovatore (Verdi) Mal
reggendo (w. Homer) 8105 CVE41605-2 Victor, 1928-01-10
Trovatore (Verdi)
Miserere (w. Ponselle & chorus) 8097 CVE41637-2 Victor, 1928-01-23
Aida (Verdi) Celeste
Aida 82351 19047-A Edison, New York 1929-02-13
Martha (Flotow)
M'appari 82351 19050-A Edison, New York 1929-02-14
Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saëns) Arrêtez, o mes frères... L'as-tu-donc 8159, 8159, CVE49714-2, CVE49715-2 Victor, 1929-02-07
Otello (Verdi) Dio mi
potevi... Vieni, l'aula e deserta (w. Tibbett & Massue) 15805, 15805,
CS036871-1,1A, CS036851-2,2A Victor, 1939-05-09
Otello (Verdi) Già
nella notte... Ed io vedea (w. Jepson) 15801, 15802, CS036875-1,1A,
CS036876-1,1A Victor, 1939-05-09
Otello (Verdi) Niun
mi tema 15806 CS036873-1,1A Victor, 1939-05-09
Otello (Verdi) Non
pensa teci più... Ora e per sempre... O mostruosa colpa... Si pel ciel (w.
Tibbett) 15803, 15804, CS036869-2,2A, CS036870-2,2A Victor, 1939-05-09
Simon Boccanegra (Verdi) Plebe! Patrizi!... Piango su voi (w. Tibbett, Bampton, Warren, Nicholson & chorus) 16542m CS036850-1,1A Victor, 1939-05-03
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