Romeo Berti

1867 Ravenna – 1954 London

Romeo Berti is the epitome of a mystery tenor. Most everything about him is mysterious. Even the photo reproduced above is doubtful, and I cannot vouch that it really shows Berti. Just his dates of life are certain, and his last decades: he spent them in London, teaching voice (from 1914 onwards). One of his pupils was Benvenuto Finelli.

As far as his beginnings, he is said to have studied in Paris with Paul Lhérie and Jean de Reszke. And he made lots of recordings, at least 151 (see below). But nobody ever found any hint to a career. That's why collectors started very early on, already in the 1930s, to make wild conjectures: that "Romeo Berti" was just a pseudonym of Carlo Albani. Or better still, of Jean de Reszke. (Yeah, 151 Jean de Reszke recordings! That's what each of us would be craving, right?) Of course, not only Romeo Berti's life is largely mysterious; it's also a mystery why so many collectors are deaf, and were deaf even back in the golden old times. Albani??!!!? Didn't they hear that Romeo Berti was a clown singer, barely able to hold a high note without cracking it? At least as far as de Reszke, there were, in the 1930s, enough people still alive who had heard de Reszke on stage, and they immediately protested the idea that Berti was actually de Reszke, and testified that there was no similarity between those two singers.

Romeo Berti's son, in a 1950s radio interview, claimed that his father had sung "at all important European theaters". This, at least, can easily be proven wrong: he had not sung at one single important theater, never. The history of the important theaters is documented well enough, and a Romeo Berti is nowhere to be found.

Kutsch & Riemens wrote a funny entry about him, without really knowing much (inevitably so, nobody does), and claimed that he had sung in provincial theaters in Italy and France, as well as in London. Well, in Italy, not so; in Roberto Marcocci's larger-than-life performance chronologies of the provincial Italian theaters from 1870 to 1930, the name Romeo Berti does not pop up. Not a single time. Even though even Marcocci's chronologies are certainly not 100 percent complete (but probably 95 percent), we can safely exclude that Berti ever sang in his native Italy. London is probably a deduction from his few Nicole recordings that he made in London in 1904, without any further evidence. Which leaves us with the possibility that he may have sung in the French provinces; I don't exclude it, since the history of the smaller opera theaters in France is so terribly ill-documented, and since he was almost always recording and hence obviously living in France (Kutsch & Riemens say from 1895 to 1905, for what it's worth; in fact, he recorded in Paris until 1909), and his French diction was excellent, good enough to support another wild conjecture, that he was actually French and not Italian. But again, his career in the French provinces is but an assumption, and not one single performance has been proven so far; he may well have been a studio tenor only.

It's congruous with his discography, and it must have been told by his son in that radio interview: in 1910, he suffered a voice crisis that proved definitive; so he gave up singing and, see above, moved to London to teach voice.

But actually, and here comes the best part, I found one stage appearance of Berti! In 1950, at Cambridge Theater in London, a very successful musical revue for children was staged: "Christmas party" by Cecil Landeau; and the part of "The Tenor" (probably a small part since he's the last of the cast) was played by – Romeo Berti! He was 83 by then! Was that perhaps his stage debut?

Reference 1: Kutsch & Riemens, reference 2, reference 3, reference 4, reference 5: The Gramophone, September 1936

Romeo Berti singsL'Africaine: O paradiso
In RA format

Romeo Berti singsIl trovatore: Di quella pira
In RA format

Romeo Berti singsSigurd: Esprits gardiens

Romeo Berti singsRigoletto: Questa o quella
In RA format

Romeo Berti singsPagliacci: Vesti la giubba
In RA format

Discography

Société des Phonographes Bettini, Paris, January/February 1904
901			Manon (Massenet): Ah! fuyez								901
902			Manon (Massenet): En fermant les yeux					902
903			Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Vesti la giubba						903
904			Faust (Gounod): Salut, demeure							904
905			Werther (Massenet): unknown selection					905
906			La forza del destino (Verdi): O tu che in seno				906
907			Ballata (Mascagni)										907
929			Mefistofele (Boito): unknown selection						929
930			Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): O Colombine						930
952			Werther (Massenet): unknown selection					952
971			Pêcheurs de perles (Bizet): Mi par d'udir ancora				971
972			Rigoletto (Verdi): La donna è mobile						972
973			Il trovatore (Verdi): Deserto sulla terra						973
991			Souvenir (Lalo)											991
992			Le rêve du prisonnier (= Zhelanie) (Rubinstein)				992

Columbia, Paris, 1904 50512-1 Sigurd (Reyer): Esprits gardiens 50512 50513-1 Jérusalem (Verdi): Je veux encore entendre 50513 Beka-Idéal, Paris, June/July 1904 7470 Les huguenots (Meyerbeer): Plus blanche 7470 7471 Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Un tal gioco, credetemi 7471 7472 Rigoletto (Verdi) Questa o quella per me pari sono 7472 7473 Cavalleria rusticana (Mascagni) Viva il vino 7473 7474 Tosca (Puccini): unknown selection 7474 Nicole, London, summer 1904 15.. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Vesti la giubba 5539 15.. Cavalleria rusticana (Mascagni): O Lola 5540 15.. Carmen (Bizet): Il fior 5541 Odéon, Paris, September 1904 xP 982 Paillasse (Leoncavallo): Pauvre Paillasse X 33881 xP 983 Cavalleria rusticana (Mascagni): O Lola, blanche fleur X 33882 xP 984 Il trovatore (Verdi): Exilé sur la terre X 33883 xP 985 Tosca (Puccini): Le ciel luisait d'étoiles X 33884 xP 986 La Juive (Halévy): Rachel, quand du Seigneur X 33886 xP 987-1 Rigoletto (Verdi): Comme la plume au vent X 33887 xP 997 Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Vesti la giubba X 37000 xP 998 Tosca (Puccini): E lucevan le stelle X 37001 Disque Excelsior, Paris, September or October 1904 296F Le roi d'Ys (Lalo): Vainement, ma bien aimée 296 Favorite, Paris, December 1904 106-b Cavalleria rusticana (Mascagni): O Lola 1-5022 107-b Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Vesti la giubba 1-5023 Société des Phonographes Bettini, Paris, unknown date 1229 Tosca (Puccini): Recondita armonia 1229 Favorite, Paris, February 1905 370-f Werther (Massenet): Pourquoi me réveiller 1-5067 385-f Il trovatore (Verdi): Exilé sur la terre 1-5075 423-f Faust (Gounod): Laisse-moi contempler (w. Demougeot) 1-9001 424-f Faust (Gounod): Il m'aime (w. Demougeot & Carbelly) 1-9002 Tosca (Puccini): E lucevan le stelle 1-5029 Jérusalem (Verdi): Je veux encore entendre 1-5035 Le départ (Spinetti) 1-5036 Odéon, Paris, March 1905 xP 1272 Hérodiade (Massenet): Ne pouvant réprimer X 36003 xP 1273 Souvenirs (Massé) X 36022 xP 1274 Roland à Roncevaux (Mermet): Superbes Pyrérenées X 36023 xP 1282 Sigurd (Reyer): Esprits gardiens X 36017 xP 12.. Manon (Massenet): Ah! fuyez X 36030 xP 12.. Werther (Massenet): Pourquoi me réveiller X 36033 Columbia cylinders, Paris, July 1905 37193 Tosca (Puccini): Le ciel luisait d'étoiles 37193 37194 Paillasse (Leoncavallo): Pauvre Paillasse 37194 37195 Sigurd (Reyer): Esprits gardiens 37195 37196 Jérusalem (Verdi): Je veux encore entendre 37196 37197 Manon (Massenet): En fermant les yeux 37197 37198 La favorite (Donizetti): Ange si pur 37198 37199 Il trovatore (Verdi): Dieu que ma voix implore 37199 37200 Si vous n'étiez pas si jolie (Mathé) 37200 37201 Aida (Verdi): Ô céleste Aida 37201 37202 La favorite (Donizetti): Un ange, une femme inconnue 37202 37203 La bohéme(Puccini): Que cette main est froide 37203 37204 Cavalleria rusticana (Mascagni): Vive le vin qui pétille 37204 Columbia, Paris, July 1905 50695 Aida (Verdi): Ô céleste Aida 50695 50696-1 Si vous n'étiez-pas si jolie (Mathé) 50696, E494 50697-1 Manon (Massenet): En fermant les yeux 50697, E494 50698 La favorite (Donizetti): Ange si pur 50698, E495 50699 Cavalleria rusticana (Mascagni): Vive le vin qui pétille 50699 50700 La bohème (Puccini): Que cette main est froide 50700 50701-1 La favorite (Donizetti): Un ange, une femme inconnue 50701, E495 50702 Il trovatore (Verdi): Dieu que ma voix implore 50702 Edison 2-min cylinders, Paris, September 1905 B7 Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Vesti la giubba B7 B17 Cavalleria rusticana (Mascagni): O Lola B17 B18 Rigoletto (Verdi): Questa o quella B18 B26 Tosca (Puccini): E lucevan le stelle B26 B34 Il trovatore (Verdi): Deserto sulla terra B34
Dutreih, Paris, about 1905 165020 Andrea Chénier (Giordano): Un dì all'azzurro spazio 165020, D 15020 165021 L'elisir d'amore (Donizetti): Una furtiva lagrima 165021, D 15021 165022 Rigoletto (Verdi): Questa o quella 165022 165023 Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Vesti la giubba 165023, D 15023 165024 Les pêcheurs de perles (Bizet): Della mia vita 165024 165025 Fedora (Giordano): Amor ti vieta 165025, D 15025 165026 Tosca (Puccini): E lucevan le stelle 165026 165027 'O sole mio (Di Capua) 165027 Disque Excelsior, Paris, 1905 or 1906 40699 Les pêcheurs de perles (Bizet): Mi par d'udir ancora 40699 40700 Cavalleria rusticana (Mascagni): O Lola 40700 40726 Otello (Verdi): Ora e per sempre addio 40726 40729 Otello (Verdi): Esultate 40729 Ballata (Mascagni) unpublished 60646 Il trovatore (Verdi): Miserere 60646 60647 Sigurd (Reyer): Grand air 60647 60648 Hérodiade (Massenet): Ne pouvant réprimer 60648 60650 La Juive (Halévy): Rachel, quand du Seigneur 60650 60682 La favorite (Donizetti): Ange si pur 60682 60683 Aida (Verdi): Ô céleste Aida 60683 Columbia, Milano, 1905 or 1906 10525-1 Tosca (Puccini): E lucevan le stelle 10525, C133, E123 10526-1 Ave Maria (Gounod) 10526, A534, D4021 10527 Andrea Chénier (Giordano): Un dì all'azzurro spazio E189 10528-1 Cavalleria rusticana (Mascagni): Viva il vino 10528, A531, C117, E438 10529-1 La favorite (Donizetti): Spirto gentil 10529, A532, D4018, E105 10530-1 Manon (Massenet): Chiudo gli occhi 10530, D4019, E109 10531 Les pêcheurs de perles (Bizet): Mi par d'udir ancora 10531, E119 10532 Falstaff (Verdi): Dal labbro il canto 10532, E101 10533-1 Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti): Fra poco a me ricovero 10533, C140, E112 10535-1 Rigoletto (Verdi): Parmi veder le lagrime 10535, E120, Cort F626 10536-1 Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Vesti la giubba 10536, E118, Cort F553, T11 10537-1 Rigoletto (Verdi): Questa o quella 10537, D3032, D4011, E120, Si-La-Fa 1034 10538-1 Gioconda (Ponchielli): Cielo e mar 10538, E106, T11 10539-1 L'Africaine (Meyerbeer): O paradiso 10539, C121, D4000, E90 10540-1 Rigoletto (Verdi): Parmi veder le legrime 10540 10541-1 L'elisir d'amore (Donizetti): Una furtiva lagrima 10541, D4004, E98, T11, Si-La-Fa 1013 10543-1 Cavalleria rusticana (Mascagni): O Lola 10543, D3047, E95, E1336, C117, T10 10544-1 Aida (Verdi): Celeste Aida 10544, D3048, E91, E1336 10562-1 Andrea Chénier (Giordano): Un dì all'azzurro spazio 10562, E189
10563-1 La bohème (Puccini): Che gelida manina 10563, A5024 10565-1 Rigoletto (Verdi): La donna è mobile 10565, D4010, E124, E190 10566 Manon Lescaut (Puccini): Ah non v'avvicinate 10566, E191 10568-1 Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti): Fra poco a me 10568, A5013, D16254, D16542 10569 Il barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini): Ecco ridente 10569, D4001, E192 10570 Iris (Mascagni): Apri la tua finestra 10570 10571 Il barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini): Se il mio nome 10571, D4017, E193 10572-1 Luisa Miller (Verdi): Quando le sere 10572, A5025 10573-1 Carmen (Bizet): Il fior 10573, A5013, D16542 Homocord, Paris, April 1906 2101 Tosca (Puccini): Recondita armonia 2101 2102 Andrea Chénier (Giordano): Un dì all'azzurro spazio 2102 2103 Seconda mattinata (Tosti) 2103, Cabezas 2103 2106 Manon (Massenet): Chiudo gli occhi 2106, Cabezas 2106 2107 Aida (Verdi): Celeste Aida 2107, Disco Lisboa 2107
2108 Tosca (Puccini): E lucevan le stelle 2108 2109 Rigoletto (Verdi): La donna è mobile 2109 2110 Rigoletto (Verdi): Questa o quella 2110 2111 Il trovatore (Verdi): Di quella pira 2111, 12118 A, Rubin 100065 2112 Il trovatore (Verdi): Miserere 2112, Rubin 100065, Cabezas 2112 APGA, Paris, October 1906 35000 Tosca (Puccini): E lucevan le stelle 35000 35001 Tosca (Puccini): Recondita armonia 35001 35002 Rigoletto (Verdi): La donna è mobile 35002 35003 Rigoletto (Verdi): Ballata 35003 35005-B 'O sole mio (di Capua) 35005 35006 Mefistofele (Boito): Giunto sul passo estremo 35006, CIP35006 35007 Mefistofele (Boito): Dai campi, dai prati 35007, CIP35006 35008-A Fedora (Giordano): Amor ti vieta 35008 35009 Ballata (Mascagni) 35009 35010 Cavalleria rusticana (Mascagni): O Lola 35010 35011 Il trovatore (Verdi): Deserto sulla terra 35011 35012 Il trovatore (Verdi): Miserere 35012 35013 Aida (Verdi): Celeste Aida 35013 35014 Manon (Massenet): Il sogno 35014 Homocord, Paris, December 1907 8520 Cavalleria rusticana (Mascagni): O Lola, blanche fleur 8520, Cabezas 8520 8522 Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Pauvre Paillase 8522 8523 Manon (Massenet): En fermant les yeux 8523 Homocord, Paris, date uncertain (January 1908?) 8562 Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Vesti la giubba 8562 8563 Hérodiade (Massenet): Ne pouvant réprimer 8563 8563-2 Hérodiade (Massenet): Ne pouvant réprimer 8563 8565 Aida (Verdi): Ô céleste Aida 8565 Homocord, Paris, February 1909 8510 Fedora (Giordano): Amor ti vieta 8510, Cabezas 8510 APGA, Paris, 1909 A 187 Panis angelicus (Franck) 35202 A 188 Pietà, Signore (Fétis) 35203
A big thankyou to Christian Torrent for the discography and the pictures; major updates to the discography from Gesellschaft für historische Tonträger, Wien.
I would like to thank Richard J Venezia for the recordings (Trovatore, Africaine).
I would like to thank Tom Silverbörg for the recordings (Rigoletto, Pagliacci).

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