LUISA TETRAZZINI, SOPRANO, JUNE 29TH 1871

Coloratura soprano Luisa Tetrazzini was born on this day in 1871 in Florence. It is a lesser known fact, that she had two older sisters who were also sopranos, albeit they did not achieve her level of celebrity.

After initially studying with her sister Eva, who was nine year’s senior to Luisa, she proceeded to have lessons with Eva’s teacher, Professor Ceccherini at the Instituto Musicale of Florence.

As is the case in so many lives of famous singers, she received her big break making her operatic debut in1890, at the age of only 19 years, by standing in for the prima donna in Meyerbeer’s L’Africaine at the Teatro Paglione in Florence.

In her autobiography, My Life in Song, she recalled that, “The pavements from the theatre to my home were lined, even at that late hour, with large numbers of people, all of whom seemed to be shouting congratulations to me.”

It was just 2 months after that she was engaged to repeat the role in Rome for the King and Queen of Italy.

The tenor Giacomo Lauri Volpi described her as ‘having a scintillating voice with a brilliant timbre and a range and agility well beyond the norm…” Her voice has been described as possessing ‘warm, clarinet-like beauty’.

But it was claimed that her middle voice was rather thin and child like, (though reportedly it grew with maturity in warmth), this aspect of her voice did not please another tenor of renown John McCormack, who compared it to ‘wailing like a cross infant.’ Nevertheless, Tetrazzini herself had only words of praise for McCormack’s ‘God-given gift’, noting generously, ’I found that his rich voice went so well with mine that I took him back with me to America, and he sang with me both in New York and in the other big towns when the Hammerstein company went on tour.’

Later it was written ‘Tetrazzini possessed an extraordinary vocal technique that enabled her to surmount any vocal challenge with joyful ease. She had complete mastery of runs, trills, staccati and vocal ornaments of all kinds.’

She established herself in Latin America and Europe where in St Petersburg she sang her favourite role in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor with Enrico Caruso. This marked the beginning of a firm friendship and later even a collaboration in a book on vocal technique between the two.

Though she was still relatively unknown to English opera audiences. But this was all about to change when the opportunity arose for her to stand in for Nellie Melba as Violetta in La Traviata at Covent Garden. She garnered twenty curtain calls and she was critically acclaimed by E.A. Baugham in the Daily News writing,“I do not think I am exaggerating when I say that Mme Tetrazzini has the voice of the century and stands out from even the great Italian singers we know…”

Her superstardom lay just around the corner when reviews compared her to her idol Adelina Patti. Patti being from the opera generation before, attended a performance and later invited her to lunch. The two sopranos became firm friends and Patti was often seen making a point of clapping loudly at Tetrazzini’s performances. Likewise Tetrazzini wrote about a letter she had received from Patti, “Praise from a mixed audience is very gratifying after one has given it of her best. But, praise, and such praise, from Patti is far more than the passing pleasure of a public ovation.”

Engagements in America ensued and recording contracts with Victor Recording Company captured her voice for posterity between 1904-1920.

One very famous event she is known for, is her defiance against Oscar Hammerstein who held her to her contract not to sing in San Francisco. Hammerstein, was her agent whom she admired for his entrepreneurship and business acumen. She exclaimed ‘I will sing in San Francisco if I have to sing there in the streets, for I know the streets of San Francisco are free.” With this declaration she won her legal case, and her new agent W.H. Leahy announced she would sing in the streets of San Francisco. So on a clear Christmas Eve in 1910,Tetrazzini climbed a stage platform in a sparkling white gown, surrounded by a throng of an estimated two to three hundred thousand San Franciscans, and serenaded the city she loved.

As well as this early taster of coming mega-star’s open air benefit performances, she has also been remembered in the culinary world. Whether it be called Turkey or Chicken Tetrazzini, the dish has worked its way into the ubiquitous list of food favourites.

After the First World War she mainly devoted her work to concerts and recitals. Tetrazzini was married three times and was embroiled in legal battles with her third husband which diminished her enormous wealth. Nevertheless, she was well known for her generosity.

In her retirement she taught in both Rome and Milan and her vocal technique, was apparently stunning and remained so until her end in 1940.

JOHN MCCORMACK , TENOR, JUNE 14TH 1884

Could any singer have ever received so many accolades, titles and fame in their lifetime? Maybe Beniamino Gigli did…

John McCormack’s life seemed charmed being interwoven with fame and fortune from its very beginning. Born in Westmeath, County Athlone in Ireland, his musical leanings were nurtured by singing in the church choir and no doubt also, by his Scottish parents who incidentally possessed fine singing voices.

Later when the family moved to Dublin he joined the St. Mary’s Pro Cathedral Choir. There his talent was recognised by the choir master and composer Vincent O’Brien.

One year after training he won the coveted medal Feis Ceoil for his singing. The following year he encouraged his friend, also a tenor who would later be famous in his own right, the author James Joyce, to enter the singing competition. Joyce, received 3rd place. One wonders what career path Joyce may have chosen had he won!

Fund raisers enabled him to train with Vincenzo Sabatini in Milan. Sabatini did not find his voice at all wanting and concentrated on teaching him a breathing technique which was to become a hallmark of McCormack’s singing. Famous for his extraordinary breath control, he could sing sixty four notes on one breath in Mozart’s “Il mio tesoro” from Don Giovanni, and his singing of pieces by Händel was just as impressive in this remarkable ability.

He made his operatic debut under the name of Giovanni Foli in Mascagni’s L’amico Fritz in 1906. Engagements in America followed and at the height of his career he toured Australia as the star tenor for the Melba Grand Opera season of 1911. From 1908 to 1914 he performed regularly at Covent Garden with either NELLIE MELBA or LUISA TETRAZZINI.

From 1912 his interest turned more and more in the direction of concert performances which brought his voice to the masses – and the masses adored him.

He became the Victor Talking Machine Company’s most popular ‘Red Seal’ recording artist after Enrico Caruso. Apropos Caruso, after hearing Caruso’s performance in the front row as Rodolfo in La Boheme at Covent Garden, McCormack said: “It was the best lesson, up to that moment, I had ever received and a stimulus which cannot be described. The sound of Caruso’s voice that night lingered in my ears for months.”

Or from another account, “as to this schooling he was prompted by hearing a Caruso at Covent Garden in 1904. McCormack was twenty then, and just beginning a career as a professional singer. ‘I will never rest’ he said to a friend after that performance.I will work and train and pray and someday there will be two men singing like that. Caruso and me.”

Two years later he was singing in London himself, becoming the Covent Garden’s youngest leading tenor in Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana.

He continued to receive praise as his unstoppable star ascended. The famous violinist, Jan Kubelik, remarked in paying him one of the greatest compliments after hearing him in Prague: “That man must have a Stradivarius in his throat”.

Possibly because he didn’t quite enjoy the acting side of performing opera, or that he realised he could reach more people and make more money from his voice whilst performing with the likes of Fritz Kreisler, he decided to pursue concert performing and the popular music recording artist path. During the catastrophe of the First World War, in 1917, he also decided to become an American citizen. McCormack’s biographer, Gordon Ledbetter, believes the tenor was the last singer to successfully bring together such divergent styles.

Another biographer attempting to convey McCormack’s widespread fan base to contemporary audiences said he was like Pavarotti, Madonna and Johnny Carson all rolled into one!

Certainly his wartime hits appealed greatly to the Irish population in America as they could show pride in both Ireland and the United States. McCormack became a radio megastar and donated to the U.S war effort and catholic charities generously.

Some of his hits at the time were ‘It’s a Long Way to Tipperary’ ‘Mother MacCree’ and for the Hollywood film ‘Song o’My Heart’ where he was paid half a million dollars to sing eleven songs for the soundtrack.

He became a very wealthy man and by all accounts enjoyed his wealth to the fullest, giving back to the public in the form of many benefit concerts and donations.

Not many opera singers are created Papal Counts – not so for John Count McCormack as seen engraved on his headstone where he is buried in his birth country of Ireland. Earlier in his life he had also received three Papal Knighthoods in addition to being a Knight of Malta. He died at the age of 61 of bronchial pneumonia seven years after giving his farewell performance at the Royal Albert Hall. Despite the farewell performance in 1938, during the Second World War, he came out of retirement in support of the Red Cross. Quite a life!

ROBERTO ALAGNA, TENOR, JUNE 7TH, 1963

“I have never particularly believed in astrology, but the experts have always affirmed that I have all the characteristics of the Gemini: very sociable, also very adaptable. So it was preordained from my birth that I would be capable of all the twists and turns, all the roles!”

“Je n’ai jamais particulièrement cru à l’astrology, mais les spécialistes ont toujours affirmé que j’ai toutes les caractéristiques des Gémeaux : très sociable, aussi très adaptable. Il était donc écrit dès ma naissance, que je serais capable de tous les rebondissements, de tous les rôles !

Singing is in the Franco-Sicilian tenor Roberto Alagna’s blood. His illustrious maternal great-grandfather Jimmy sang for the great Enrico Caruso when the the maestro happened to drop by one day in his wallet shop in New York City, U.S.A., and Enrico was so impressed that he suggested Jimmy audition for the Metropolitan Opera Chorus! What a complement! (although Jimmy declined the suggestion of the maestro—or the “Commendatore”, “the Commander” as Jimmy endearingly liked to call him—as he preferred to focus on his business.)

Roberto ’s vocal mentor Rafael Ruiz, was a direct student of the legendary Italian tenor Aureliano Pertile (1885-1952). It was that fact that caught the attention of Luciano Pavarotti when Roberto met him at an LP signing event at the Printemps department store in Paris. A year later, without knowing it, Roberto was invited to audition in the first round of the the Pavarotti International Voice Competition in Pesaro, Italy, the birthplace of legendary nineteenth century composer Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868). He sang his good luck song ‘La Danza’ from Rossini for Luciano and thought that he’d been disqualified as Luciano didn’t permit him to sing a second piece for him as did all the other participants. Au contraire, Luciano loved his voice and he was qualified to the next round. Indeed years later, Saimir Pirgu, an Albanian tenor, who studied with Luciano told Roberto something he didn’t know about Luciano: “every time we took lessons with Luciano, he spoke of only one tenor, Roberto, and he would say ‘here take this LP and sing like this”.

After winning the Pavarotti International Voice Competition in Philadelphia—the hometown of Mario Lanza—in 1988, Roberto’s career really skyrocketed.

He made his debut with the Glyndebourne Touring Company in the role of Alfred Germont in Verdi’s La Traviata. From 1990 onwards, he has performed a series of major roles, respectively at the leading opera houses; La Scala, Covent Garden and the New York Metropolitan.

In 1995 he won an Olivier Award for his performance of Roméo in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette which was singled out for its diction and fine nuances, and was a turning point in his career giving him his place with the the greats of the French repertoire. Alagna also has sought out long neglected repertory to perform, and has from his lyric tenor beginnings has as his voice matured, ventured into the heavier spinto roles such as Samson in Samson et Dalia, Canio in I Pagliacci, Mauricio in Adriana Lecouvreur and Des Grieux in Manon Lescaut.

Roberto is known for his charismatic stage presence and has obtained widespread popularity through his recording a variety of diverse music genres, not to mention, his appearances in films and music videos. His album ‘Sicilian’ released in 2008 was a huge success and reached the popular audience with sales over 350,000.

Roberto Alagna was appointed a Chevalier de la légion d’honneur in 2008.

Happy birthday Roberto! We wish you happiness, health and success! Thank you for your willingness and determination to continue bringing joy to your audiences around the world!

Joyeux anniversaire Roberto! Nous vous souhaitons bonheur, santé et succès! Merci de votre volonté et enthousiasme de continuer à apporter de la joie à votre public du monde entier!

GEORGE LONDON, BASS-BARITONE, MAY 30, 1920

George London was born in Montreal to Russian U.S émigrés parents, and was brought up in Los Angles. He possessed a dark and resonant bass baritone voice with an easy resounding upper register which he used masterfully from the finest pianissimi to the most resounding fortes. He was also known for his imposing stage presence and fine portrayal of his roles.

One interesting aspect of his career to note is, that before he found international acclaim he performed as a member of the Bel Canto Trio with Mario Lanza and Francis Yeend in 1947-48 (1).

It was not long after his trio days that his international career took off, starting after his debut in Vienna in 1949 (2). A Bayreuth Festival debut followed in 1951 as Amfortas in Parsifal resulting in return seasons for him in the role and the title role of the Flying Dutchman.

At the Metropolitan Opera in New York, he sang over 270 performances and became one of the most famous exponents of the five signature bass baritone roles of Don Giovanni, Amfortas, Wotan, Scarpia and Boris Godunov. It was no small feat and testimony to his singing that he was given the honour of being the first non Russian singer to sing the title role of Boris Godunov at the Bolschoi Theatre at the height of the Cold War years in 1960 (3). Quite simply, he was able to encompass all styles of singing from Mozart, through French romantic and modern, to Verdi, Wagner, Mahler and Richard Strauß, as well as many performances of Broadway tunes and American songs and Lieder.

Both the Beatles and Maria Callas owed their exposure to a larger popular audience through their appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show. On November 25,1956, Maria Callas made her national television debut singing Floria Tosca in an abridged Act 2 from Puccini’s Tosca. Fewer people remember, that it was George London’s Baron Scarpia, that proved the perfect foil to Callas, with his vocal prowess and stage presence (4).

Another classic London recording, where he sings Baron Scarpia in Puccini’s Tosca, is with the other leading prima donna of the day, Renate Tebaldi and with Mario del Monaco to complete the star-studded team.

Although due to ill health, he never managed to perform the role of Hans Sachs in the Meistersinger von Nürnberg, nevertheless, there exist recordings of Sachs’ monologues from recital performances and a private recording exists of his portrayal of Wotan in Das Rheingold as part of the complete Cologne Ring Cycle he performed.

It was unfortunate that at the height of his career, George London retired from the stage due to vocal health decline which was caused by a paralysis of one of the vocal chords. Treatments proved inadequate to restore his voice back to its former prowess and so, consummate artist that he was, he declined to take further engagements.

He later became the artistic administrator for Kennedy Centre in Washington and general director of the Opera Society of Washington.

He and his wife created the George and Nora London Foundation for Singers in which an annual singing competition for young Canadian and American singers is held where of the 15 finalists, 5 receive $12,000 and the remaining 10 $2,000 in encouragement awards.

DAME NELLIE MELBA,SOPRANO, MAY 19TH 1861

The famous Nellie Melba, who was born in 1861, was a woman on a mission. After a modest start to her career as a lyric coloratura soprano in her home town of Melbourne Australia, she packed herself off in 1886 to pursue her career in London. She made…

GIULIETTA SIMIONATO, MEZZO-SOPRANO, MAY 12TH 1910

Born in Forli, the city once ruled by the so-called Tigress of Forli, Caterina Sforza, Giulietta Simionato’s singing talent was recognised…

MONTSERRAT CABALLÉ, APRIL 12TH, 1933

No diva in memory has sung such an all-encompassing amount of the soprano repertory, progressing through virtually the entire range of Italian light lyric, LIRICO-SPINTO and dramatic roles…

FRANCO CORELLI, APRIL 8TH, 1921

the days before there were “Kings”, Franco Corelli was hailed “The Prince of Tenors”. There were good reasons for this epithet – he possessed a dazzling clear timbre, a powerful spinto voice capable of spinning the finest and longest diminuendo on a top Bb, (just check out his Ah, leve toi soleil! from Roméo et Juliette) or listen to his Bb morendo on the last note of Celeste Aïda). These  remain unsurpassed. His charismatic…

Beniamino Gigli, March 20th, 1890

Beniamino Gigli, whose surname translated into English means Lilies has his birthday today. Certainly his lirico-spinto voice was as perfect, sweet and beautiful as his namesake.
Gigli’s career took on super-stardom in the English speaking world, when he was hired by the Metropolitan Opera New York and had the unenviable task of following in footsteps of Enrico Caruso after Caruso’s untimely and sudden death. Comparisons were inevitable; but it didn’t
take long for the honey voiced Gigli to win over his audiences with his flexible, lyrically ringing voice and masterful implementation of mezzo voce.

Dame Eva Turner, March 10, 1892

Remembering today the legendary British dramatic soprano, described by Arturo Toscanini as “a beautiful voice, beautiful pronunciation and beautiful appearance.” (1) Dame Eva Turner sang the dramatic Italian soprano repertoire as well as the Wagnerian heroines to great acclaim. Today she is most closely identified…