Forgotten Opera Singers

Forgotten Opera Singers

Jan 28, 2018

Giustino Zara (Baritone)




He made his debut in his native country. In 1908 he went to USA, where he had a prolific career. Episodically he appeared also as bass.


1897 Savona  Teatro Chiabrera Boheme (Marcello)
1898 Oneglia  Politeama Umberto I° Boheme (Marcello)
1901 Como  Teatro Cressoni Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro)
1902 Lodi  Teatro Gaffurio Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro)
1906 Voghera  Teatro Sociale Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro)
1908 Philadelphia  Grand Opera Barbiere di Siviglia (Don Basilio)
1908 New York  American Theater Carmen (Escamillo)
1908 Philadelphia  Grand Opera Carmen (Escamillo)
1908 Philadelphia  Grand Opera Pagliacci (Silvio)
1909 Philadelphia  Chestnut Theater Pagliacci (Silvio)
1909 Philadelphia  Chestnut Street Theater Cavalleria Rusticana (Alfio)
1909 Philadelphia  Chestnut Street Theater Carmen (Escamillo)
1909 Philadelphia  Chestnut Street Traviata (Germont)
1909 San Francisco  Princess Theater Carmen (Escamillo)
1909 San Francisco  Princess Theater Pagliacci (Tonio)
1909 San Francisco  Princess Theater Traviata (Germont)
1910 Brooklyn Majestic House  Boheme (Schaunard)
1910 New York  People's Theater  Boheme (Schaunard)
1911 New York  People's Theater Cavalleria Rusticana (Alfio)
1911 New York  People's Theater Pagliacci (Silvio)
1911 Syracuse  Wieting Theater Boheme (Schaunard)
1914  Augusta  Grand Theater Cavalleria Rusticana (Alfio)
1914  Augusta  Grand Theater Pagliacci (Tonio)
1914  Jacksonville  Teatro Duval Cavalleria Rusticana (Alfio)
1914  Jacksonville  Teatro Duval Pagliacci (Tonio)
1914 Norfolk  Teatro Wells Cavalleria Rusticana (Alfio)
1914 Norfolk  Teatro Wells Pagliacci (Tonio)
1914  Atlanta  Atlanta Theater Cavalleria Rusticana (Alfio)
1914  Atlanta  Atlanta Theater Pagliacci (Tonio)
1914 Knoxville  Staub's Theater Cavalleria Rusticana (Alfio)
1914 New York  Thalia Theater Tosca (Scarpia)
1914 New York  Thalia Theater Traviata (Germont)
1914 Richmond  Academy of Music  Tosca (Scarpia)
1914 Richmond  Academy of Music  Traviata (Germont)
1914 Memphis  Lyceum Theater Tosca (Scarpia)
1914 Memphis  Lyceum Theater Traviata (Germont)
1914   St.Louis Olympic Theater Tosca (Scarpia)
1915 London Covent Garden Lucia di Lammermoor (Lord Enrico Ashton)

Jan 26, 2018

Renzo Pigni (Tenor) (1908 - 3. 1. 1969)




Already in 1933 he sang at La Scala the part of Narraboth in ''Salome''. Here he appeared also as Pinkerton in ''Madama Butterfly'', Enzo in ''La Gioconda'', Maurizio in ''Adriana Lecouvreur'', Loris in ''Fedora'', Faust in ''Mefistofele'' of Boito, Osaka in ''Iris'', Walther von Stolzing and Lohengrin. he also appeared as guest at the other famous Italian opera theaters, among other things in the 1939-1940 season he performed at the Teatro dell'Opera in Roma (as Alfredo in ''La Traviata'' and Uberto in ''Margherita de Cortona'' of Licinio Refice). In 1937 he made successful guest appearance at Covent Garden in London. He continued his career till the fifties; thus he guested in 1951 at the Teatro Comunale in Firenze as Riccardo in G. Verdi's ''Ballo in maschera''.

Chronology of some appearances

1931 Catania  Arena Imperiale Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)
1931  Piacenza  Politeama Tosca (Cavaradossi)
1931  Piacenza  Politeama Traviata (Alfredo)
1934  Bari  Teatro Petruzzelli Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)
1937 Genova  Politeama Genovese Tosca (Cavaradossi)
1937 Genova  Politeama Genovese Traviata (Alfredo)
1938 Parma  Teatro Regio Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)
1938  Lugano  Teatro Apollo Tosca (Cavaradossi)
1938  Lugano  Teatro Apollo Traviata (Alfredo)
1939 Napoli  Arenaccia Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)
1939 Bari  Teatro Petruzzelli Traviata (Alfredo)
1939 Bari  Teatro Petruzzelli Tosca (Cavaradossi)
1940 Pisa  Teatro Verdi Tosca (Cavaradossi)
1940 Pisa  Teatro Verdi Traviata (Alfredo)
1940 Genova  Politeama Genovese Tosca (Cavaradossi)
1940 Genova  Politeama Genovese  Traviata (Alfredo)
1944  Rovigo  Teatro Sociale Mefistofele (Faust)

Jan 21, 2018

Domenico Russo (Tenor) (Messina, Italy 11 March 1874 - USA 28 September 1932)





He studied singing under Paccini and Rossi and made his debut in Italy as Manrico in G. Verdi’s  ‘’Trovatore’’ (1892). His special success was in USA, where he made his debut around 1900. He was a principal tenor of Tivoli Grand Opera Company. Married soprano Edith Helena (1876-1956).

Chronology of some appearances

1900 Galveston  Grand Opera House Rigoletto (Duca)
1900 San Francisco  Tivoli Opera House Almaviva (Barbiere di Siviglia)
1900 San Francisco  Tivoli Opera House Rigoletto (Duca)
1900 San Francisco  Tivoli Opera House Carmen (Don Jose)
1901 Salt Lake City Teatro Salt Lake Carmen (Don Jose)
1901  San Francisco  Tivoli Opera House Rigoletto (Duca)
1902 San Francisco  Tivoli Opera House Carmen (Don Jose)
1907 San Francisco  Central Theater Rigoletto (Duca)
1911 Washington  National Theater Carmen (Don Jose)
1911 Boston  Opera House Trovatore (Manrico)

Jan 5, 2018

Joseph Farrington (Bass-Baritone)




Chronology of some appearances

1924 London Covent Garden Savitri (Holst)
1925 London The Old Vic Theatre The Magic Flute (Mozart)
1925 London Queen’s Hall Messiah (Mendelssohn)
1926 Edinburgh  Opera Tannhäuser  (Wagner)
1927 London Queen’s Hall Macbeth (Collingwood)
1931 London Queen’s Hall Messiah (Mendelssohn)
1936  Glasgow Theatre Royal Roméo et Juliette (Gounod)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE










Piccadilly
The Magic Flute (Mozart): Saratro song 5094 3885
The marriage of Figaro (Mozart): Say goodby Figaro song 5094 3884


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Erik Ole Bye (Baritone) (Drammen, Norway 20 March 1883 – Oslo, Norway 17 May 1953)




He began his education with Morgenstierne in Oslo, then continued under zur Muhlen in London and completed his studies with R. Wiliani in Paris. Additionally he perfected his vocal also in Italy and Germany. In 1913 he made his debut as an opera singer at the National Opera in Oslo as Don Basilio in ‘’Il Barbiere di Sivigilia’’, later he changed to baritone. In the 1914-1917 seasons he was engaged by the Opera House in Wroclaw (beginning part: Amonasro in ‘’Aida’’). In 1917 he made his debut at the Opéra Comique in Paris. In November 1918 he sang the role of the High Priest in Camille Saint-Saëns's Samson et Dalila for the opening of the new opera house in Oslo. In 1921 he went to North America, where he appeared as an opera singer and sang till 1932, then he came back again in his Norwegian native country.

Chronology of some appearances

1913 Oslo National Opera Barbiere di Sivigilia (Don Basilio)
1914-1917 Wroclaw Opera House Aida (Amonasro)
1917 Paris Opéra Comique
1921-1932 North America

RECORDING FOR SALE










Gramophone, Kristiania 1915-07-08
Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Prologen 082096 304z

Gramophone, Kristiania 1915-07-09
Faust (Gounod): Valentins bøn (Avant de quitter) 082097 307z

Gramophone, Kristiania 1919-08-12
Trovatore (Verdi): Solens glans paa himlens høie 7-82055 5875ak 


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Jan 4, 2018

Phyllis Archibald (Mezzo-Soprano)




She was a pupil of Blanche Marchesi. In 1908 she appeared in the performances of Nibelungenrings at the London Covent Garden Opera under Hans Richter. Then she became known as a member Carl Rose Opera Company. As a member of this troupe she travelled around England. There she sang from 1914 to 1920. Later she sang with British National Opera in London. Early she had fallen ill with an incurable nervous suffering and forced to give up her career. She lived in a sanitarium like Lina Bruna Rasa and Jeanne Gordon. Her repertoire included Carmen, Amneris in ''Aida'', Dalila in ''Samson et Dalila''of  C. Saint-Saëns, Marthe in ''Faust'' of C. Gounod, Brangäne in ''Tristan und Isolde'', Fricka in the Nibelungenring and Kundry in ''Parsifal''.

Chronology of some appearances

1908 London Covent Garden
1914-1920 England Carl Rose Opera Company

Halfdan Rode (Baritone) (Porsgrunn, Norway 20 June 1870 - ? April 1945)


                                                                           Mefistofele


He studied singing under W. Kloed in Oslo and completed his education in Berlin, London and Milan. First he made his debut in 1894 in concert. His opera debut was happened in 1900. During the following years (1907-1917) he sang at the Norwegian National Theater in Oslo and appeared there as Don Giovanni, Escamillo in ''Carmen'', Sharpless in ''Madama Butterfly'', Lothario in ''Mignon'' and Mefistofele in ''Faust''. After his retirement he taught singing  in Oslo.

Chronology of some appearances


1907-1917 Oslo National Theater

RECORDINGS FOR SALE










G&T, Kristiania 1904-12
Hytten er lukket (Kjerulf) 72313 739d

G&T Kristiania 1906 (Autumn)
Aftenen er stille (Backer-Grøndahl) G&T 282223 4685L
Over de høje fjelde (Kjerulf) 282226  4689L 


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