Nino Piccaluga - Celeste Aïda (Homocord, 1930)

Nino Piccaluga (1890-1973) was a big voiced spinto-dramatic tenor who was very much in evidence during the two decades between the two wars. Born Filippo Piccaluga in Lombardy, he briefly studied voice in Milan with celebrated Heldentenor Giuseppe Borgatti. His debut was as Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana at the Politeama Duca di Genova in La Spezia in the fall of 1918. Appearances in Parma, Ravenna, Ancona, Salerno, Faenza, Novara, and Carrara followed, with Piccaluga’s first international appearance at Cairo’s Khedivial Opera House in La Fanciulla del West in early 1920. In November, Piccaluga sang the title role in the world premiere of Pratella’s futuristic work, L’Aviatore Dro, at the Teatro Comunale di Lugo di Romagna. The following year, the tenor made his Milan debut at the Teatro dal Verme as Paolo in Zandonai’s Francesca da Rimini. Two more world premieres followed…Gallignani’s In Alto! at Trieste’s Politeama Rossetti in November of 1921 and Alfano’s La Leggenda di Sakùntala at the Teatro Comunale in Bologna in December. Although Zandonai and Alfano were champions of Piccaluga, Puccini was a bit harder to convince. As the La Scala premiere of his Il Trittico was approaching, the great composer expressed misgivings about Piccaluga. In a note to composer Carlo Clausetti, he states, “…a certain talent is not lacking but the raw material is not very good…for the Schicchi absolutely not.” Regardless of Puccini’s reluctance, Piccaluga sang the role of Luigi in Il Tabarro at the La Scala premiere on January 29, 1922. Piccaluga’s first overseas trip took him to Santiago in August of 1923. During his season at the Teatro Municipal, the tenor sang such verismo warhorses as Andrea Cheniér, La Bohème, Loreley, La Wally and Manon Lescaut. He sang similar repertoire in Valparaiso before returning to Europe in December to make his Barcelona debut as Rodolfo at the Teatro Liceo. At the invitation of legendary soprano Dame Nellie Melba, the busy tenor travelled to Australia in March of 1924. Piccaluga spent nine months performing opera and concerts at His Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne. The repertoire consisted of such favorites as Aïda, Carmen, Cavalleria Rusticana, Madama Butterfly, and Tosca. Also part of the season was the much heralded Australian premiere of Giordano’s Andrea Chénier in September. The biggest attraction of the season, however, was Melba’s farewell to the operatic stage (well, ONE of her farewells), in which Piccaluga sang opposite the great soprano in La Bohème. The October 13 performance was heard live throughout Australia in the inaugural broadcast by the BCA. The broadcast, which reportedly reached as far as the west coast of the US, was heard by over 150,000 listeners. In November of 1929, Piccaluga sailed for North America to sing with the Columbia Grand Opera Company. During the season, the troupe toured the U.S. in a variety of works, including Il Trovatore, Carmen and La Forza del Destino. The tenor became quite popular with regional audiences, as well as the press. Piccaluga, who spoke passable English, found himself the subject of numerous newspaper stories, including a piece regarding his vocal coaching sessions with a quartet of girls from The Follies of 1930! Back in Europe, Piccaluga spent much of the 1930s performing in secondary theaters and touring companies. By the time he reached his mid 40s, his voice was showing signs of decline after years of singing the most punishing repertoire. Health issues were also beginning to plague Piccaluga, causing him to limit his appearances. In 1939, after a final Don José in Carmen at Milan’s Teatro Puccini, the 49 year old tenor left the stage for good. Piccaluga devoted the next quarter century to teaching before retiring to the Casa di Riposo in Milan. It was here that he died on February 3, 1973 at the age of 82. Piccaluga’s career took him to such major opera centers as Rome, Genoa, Florence, Naples, Venice, Asti, Turin, San Remo, Lisbon, Amsterdam, Monte Carlo, Buenos Aires and Rio. His repertoire of some 35 roles, included the leads in Turandot, Madama Butterfly, Pagliacci, Ernani, Un Ballo in Maschera, La Gioconda, Fedora, Sly, and Loreley. He even ventured into Wagner, with appearances in Lohengrin, Tristan und Isolde and Die Walküre. The tenor’s recorded legacy, stretching from 1920 to 1930, includes dozens of discs made for Columbia, Fonotipia, Parlophon, Odeon and Homocord. These recordings reveal an approach to singing that is expressive, virile and always thrilling. It is an approach that also seems a bit reckless and out of control at times. There are certain phrases in Piccaluga’s recorded performances where the tenor seems to be on the verge of “losing it”. Despite his inconsistencies, Piccaluga always offers the listener some VERY exciting singing. In this recording, Piccaluga sings “Celeste Aïda” from Verdi’s Aïda. This was recorded in Milan for the Homocord label in 1930.

Видео Nino Piccaluga - Celeste Aïda (Homocord, 1930) автора The Glamorous World of Fame