Leonida Bellon was born in Vicenza (Veneto) in 1905. He studied singing in Brescia with the former famous tenor Edoardo
Garbin (Padova, 12
March 1865 – Brescia, 12 April 1943).
His operatic career started in Rome, about 1934. He sang in January 1936 at the Teatro San Carlo (Naples) in Mario Persico's La morenita
(three performances), with the soprano Maria Zamboni and the baritones Angelo Belmonte and Mino Cavallo.
On June 8th and 9th, 1938 he sang Pinkerton in two performances of Madama Butterfly at the Teatro Modernissimo in Imola, with the soprano Iris
Adami Corradetti, mezzosoprano L. Bonaventura and baritone Mario Gubiani.
In June 1939, he sang in Rome, for the R.A.I. (then called E.I.A.R.), the role of Pedro in Anima allegra by Franco
Vittadini, with Iris Adami Corradetti, Gianna Perea Labia and Giuseppina Sani.
In September 1939, he sang in Turin, also for the R.A.I., the role of Troilo in Medusa by Bruno Barilli, wih Cloe Elmo,
Giuseppe Manacchini and Luciano Neroni.
Next year, in October 1940, he sang again for the R.A.I. in Turin, the role of Marino in Orseolo by Ildebrando Pizzetti, with Maria
Carbone, Piero Biasini, Ettore Parmeggiani and Tancredi Pasero.
He made his debut at La Scala in Milan in February 1945 as Andrea Chénier, with Iolanda Magnoni and Carlo Tagliabue, the conductor was
Gino Marinuzzi (the performances took place at the Teatro Lirico in Milan since the Scala building was destroyed).
He sang on 7, 8, 9, 10 April 1945 at the Teatro Verdi in Parma, Andrea Chénier with Mercedes Fortunati and Renata
Tebaldi (10 April), Scipio Colombo and conductor Renzo Martini.
In February 1948, he was engaged directly in Italy by the Caprino Sisters Opera Company to sing in Mexico.
In Mexico City and Guadalajara, he sang the following operas:
Ciudad de México – Palacio de las Bellas Artes
Tosca: Rita Caprino, Carlo Morelli; Guido Picco (7 February)
La bohème: Flori Caprino, Rosa Caprino, Carlo Morelli, Humberto Pazos; Guido Picco (10 February)
La traviata: Mina Caprino, Carlo Morelli; Guido Picco (12 February)
Aida: Flori Caprino, Rita Caprino, Carlo Morelli, Ignacio Ruffino, Francisco Alonso; Guido Picco (17 February)
Guadalajara – Teatro Degollado
La bohème: Irma González, ángeles Navarro, Carlo Morelli, Ignacio Ruffino, Gilberto Cerda; Umberto
Mugnai (24 April)
Rigoletto: Rayén Quitral, Concha de los Santos, Carlo Morelli, Ignacio Ruffino; Umberto Mugnai (25 April, 3 May)
Madama Butterfly: Irma González, Concha de los Santos, Carlo Morelli, Ignacio Ruffino; Umberto Mugnai (27 April)
Lucia di Lammermoor: Rayén Quitral, Carlo Morelli, Alfonso Pedroza; Umberto Mugnai (29 April)
In 1948, he also sang at the Teatro Comunale in Adria.
In January 1949, he sang again at the Teatro San Carlo di Napoli, sharing the role of des Grieux in Manon Lescaut with Beniamino Gigli;
with Maria Caniglia, Saturno Meletti and Fernando Corena. Gigli sang the two first performances on 2 and 4 January, and
Bellon the next two on 6 and 8 January.
On 22 January 1949, he sang in Aida at the Teatro Regio in Parma, with Anita Corridori, Irma Colosanti, Otello
Borselini, Bruno Sbalchiero and conductor Giuseppe Del Campo. He sang at the Teatro dell'Opera in Rome, three
performances of Andrea Chénier (13, 19, 27 February 1949) with Franca Sacchi and Benvenuto Franci, conductor
Antonio Guarnieri and two performances of La fanciulla del West (9 and 13 March 1949) with Elisabetta Barbato and
Raffaele De Falchi. The conductor was Oliviero De Fabritiis.
His career developed mainly in Italy (those were the war years) and his repertoire increased as he sang La bohème
and Cavalleria rusticana in Messina, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor in Piacenza and Andrea Chénier (Teatro
Nazionale in Milan). Other operas in his repertoire included Il trovatore, Il piccolo Marat, Manon Lescaut, Turandot and
Pagliacci.
His last performances seem to have been in late fifties as Andrea Chénier at the Teatro Municipale in Reggio
Emilia. However, there is evidence of a concert in 1964 at the Teatro Comunale in Adria.
In 1967/1968 he was in Caracas (Venezuela) teaching singing. He gave two recitals in that city, at the Ateneo and at the
Universidad de Venezuela.
He taught singing in Via Goldoni 77 in Milan during the '70s.
He entered the Casa di Riposo per Musicisti/Fondazione Giuseppe Verdi, in Milan, and participated in 1984 in the film Il
bacio di Tosca (Tosca's kiss), with the soprano Sara Scuderi and the baritone Giuseppe Manacchini. Here he still showed
his powerful instrument and characteristic vocal smalto and squillo of the true lirico spinto tenor that he was.
He died in 1987.
Juan Dzazópulos, April 2012
My gratitude to Mr. Oscar Mago Bendahán (from Caracas, Venezuela) who revised and corrected, adding
important information to above biography.
