Luigi Cilla

He was one of the most eminent comprimarios, and though Kutsch & Riemens say he sang main parts in the first years of his career, no evidence was ever uncovered. He sang primarily at La Scala and in Rome, but also in Verona, Venice, Florence, Boston, and as a regular guest at Covent Garden (from 1925 to 1934). His last known performance was as Altoum in Ravenna in 1949.

Reference: Kutsch & Riemens

Luigi Cilla sings

Pagliacci: Vesti la giubba

Luigi Cilla sings

Pagliacci: O Colombina

Luigi Cilla sings

Rigoletto: La donna è mobile

Many thanks to Anton Bieber for the Rigoletto and Pagliacci recordings plus label scans.

I wish to thank Tom Silverbörg for the recordings (Ernani, Mefistofele).

I would like to thank Roberto Marcocci for the picture.

Discography

Edison, Milano, about December 1909
4M-B195	  Werther (Massenet): Ah non mi ridestar				A 30024, AGO B195

Edison, Milano, 1910
4M-7517   Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini): Se il mio nome                        A 7517, BA 22438
4M-7521   Don Pasquale (Donizetti): Com'è gentil                                A 7521, BA 22442
4M-7524   Ernani (Verdi): Come rugiada al cespite                               A 7524, BA 22445
4M-7526   Fedora (Giordano): Amor ti vieta/Mia madre, la mia vecchia madre      A 7526, BA 22447
4M-7528   Forza del destino (Verdi): O tu che in seno				A 7528, BA 22449
4M-7533   Lohengrin (Wagner): Da voi lontan                                     A 7533, BA 22454
4M-7538   Mignon (Thomas): Addio, Mignon                                        A 7538, BA 22459
4M-7539   Mefistofele (Boito): Dai campi, dai prati/Forma ideal purissima	A 7539, BA 22460
4M-7542   Pêcheurs de perles (Bizet): Mi par d'udir ancora			A 7542, BA 22463

Columbia, New York City, 15 April 1910
30443-2	  Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti): Chi mi frena (w. Constantino,	30443, A5177
	  Blanchart, Bronskaya, Mardones, Freeman)
30443-3	  Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti): Chi mi frena (w. Constantino,	30443, A5177, H1020, H1021
	  Blanchart, Bronskaya, Mardones, Freeman)

Crystalate, London, 1925
3847	  Lolita (Buzzi-Peccia)							Kristall 6027, Clausophon 780
3848	  Manon (Massenet): Chiudo gli occhi					Kristall 6027, Clausophon 780
A94X	  Rigoletto (Verdi): La donna è mobile					Clausophon 779, Imperial 1412
A95X	  Rigoletto (Verdi): Questa o quella					Kristall 6025, Clausophon 781, Imperial 1564
A96X	  Mignon (Thomas): Ah non credevi tu					Kristall 6025, Clausophon 781, Imperial 1564
A97X	  Mignon (Thomas): Addio, Mignon					Kristall 6028, Clausophon 782, Imperial 1565
A98X	  Favorite (Donizetti): Una vergine					Kristall 6028, Clausophon 782, Imperial 1565
A99X	  Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Vesti la giubba				Clausophon 779, Imperial 1412

Gramophone, London, 17 May 1926 (Covent Garden live recordings)
CR494I    Otello (Verdi): Innaffia l'ugola (w. Noto, Dua)			2-054164
CR501I    Otello (Verdi): Questa è una ragna (w. Noto, Zenatello)		2-054167
CR502I    Otello (Verdi): Niun mi tema (w. Zenatello, Sampieri, Cotreuil)	2-054168, VB8

Crystalate, London, 1926
4403	  'O sole mio (Di Capua)						Clausophon 549, Imperial 1658
4404	  Mamma mia, che vo' sapè (Nutile)					Clausophon 549, Imperial 1658

Crystalate, London, June 1927
4728	  Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): O Colombina					Clausophon 950, Imperial 1776
4729	  Se tu m'ami (Parisotti/attr. Pergolesi)				Clausophon 950

Gramophone, London, 19 June 1929
CR2421II  Otello (Verdi): Innaffia l'ugola (w. Inghilleri, Dua)			AW98, D1698, W1171, EJ492, ES622

Source for the discography: Gesellschaft für historische Tonträger, Wien