Bindo Gasperini
It's not entirely clear whether his name was Gasperini or Gasparini; on his records and also on some of his playbills (e. g. at the Teatro Costanzi), he was spelled Gasparini, yet I'm quite sure that Gasperini is the correct name – the majority of contemporary playbills, and all newspaper articles that I found spell him that way. He was born in Carpi in 1880. Kutsch & Riemens say that he sang comprimario parts at the large Italian theaters, but I didn't find any proof for that. Beyond Roberto Marcocci's below chronology, it seems probable that Gasperini also sang in North America since one of his recordings was made in New York. He was married to the well-known soprano Elvira Magliulo. After his career, he worked for Dopolavoro, the Fascist leisure organization, in Meran (South Tyrol) as a conductor; he founded and conducted the Dopolavoro orchestra there, later also a choir, he gave free voice and mandolin lessons to interested Dopolavoro members (amateurs, that is – 80 percent of the employed population were members of Dopolavoro), and he played the viola in a local chamber music ensemble. Reference: Alpenzeitung, 16 and 31 October/4, 13 and 21 November/9 December 1934, 28 April 1935 and 18 June 1939
1903 Novara/T. Coccia Germania (Federico) Roma/T. Costanzi Germania (Federico) Carpi/T. Comunale Germania (Federico) Conegliano/T. Accademia Fedora (Loris) Ancona/T. delle Muse Mefistofele (Faust) 1904 Pisa/T. Verdi Iris (Osaka) Pisa/T. Verdi Mefistofele (Faust) Milano/T. Lirico Adriana Lecouvreur (Maurizio) Milano/T. Lirico Manuel Menendez by L. Filiasi (Manuel) 1905 Cremona/T. Ponchielli Iris (Osaka) Ravenna/T. Alighieri Cecilia by T. Montefiore (Giorgio) Zadar/T. Verdi Amico Fritz (Fritz) Zadar/T. Verdi Andrea Chénier (Chénier) Zadar/T. Verdi Zazà (Milio) Novara/T. Coccia Iris (Osaka) Cremona/Politeama Verdi Faust (Faust) Cremona/Politeama Verdi Germania (Federico) 1906 Novara/T. Coccia Germania (Federico) Novara/T. Coccia Tosca (Cavaradossi) Bari/T. Petruzzelli Amica (Giorgio) Bari/T. Petruzzelli Iris (Osaka) Milano/T. Lirico Editha by A. F. Carbonieri (Raul) Alessandria/T. Finzi Germania (Federico) Alessandria/T. Finzi Tosca (Cavaradossi) 1907 Genova/Politeama Genovese Carmen (Don José) Genova/Politeama Genovese Tosca (Cavaradossi) 1908 Pavia/T. Fraschini Fedora (Loris) Pavia/T. Fraschini Siberia (Vassili) Bologna/T. Olimpia Carmen (Don José) Jesi/T. Pergolesi Manon Lescaut (des Grieux) Codogno/T. Sociale Fedora (Loris) Torino/T. Regio Walküre (Siegmund) 1909 Torino/T. Regio Wintermärchen by K. Goldmark (Leontes) Chioggia/Politeama Garibaldi Carmen (Don José) Schio/T. Civico Tosca (Cavaradossi) Codogno/T. Sociale Adriana Lecouvreur (Maurizio) Correggio/T. Bonifazio Astoli Adriana Lecouvreur (Maurizio) Venezia/T. Fenice Walküre (Siegmund) 1910 Venezia/T. Fenice Hérodiade (Jean) Ravenna/T. Alighieri Walküre (Siegmund) Venezia/T. Rossini Carmen (Don José) Venezia/T. Rossini Luisa della Vallière by G. D'Orio Madrid/T. Real Walküre (Siegmund) 1911 Forlì/T. Comunale Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton) Vicenza/T. Verdi Tosca (Cavaradossi) 1912 Bergamo/T. Donizetti Carmen (Don José) Chieti/T. Marruccino Fedora (Loris) Chieti/T. Marruccino Isabeau (Folco) 1913 Venezia/T. Fenice Carmen (Don José) Messina/T. Mastroieni Tosca (Cavaradossi) Messina/T. Mastroieni Cavalleria rusticana (Turiddu) Verona/T. Filarmonico Walküre (Siegmund) Rimini/T. Vittorio Emanuele Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton) 1914 Palermo/T. Massimo Parsifal (Parsifal) Guastalla/T. Sociale Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton) 1915 Pistoia/Politeama Mabellini Andrea Chénier (Chénier) 1916 Forlì/T. Comunale Fedora (Loris) Milano/T. Carcano Carmen (Don José) Milano/T. Carcano Fedora (Loris) Milano/T. Carcano Adriana Lecouvreur (Maurizio) 1918 La Spezia/Politeama Duca di Genova Iris (Osaka) Parma/Politeama Reinach Carmen (Don José) 1919 Empoli/T. Salvini Fedora (Loris) Empoli/T. Salvini Tosca (Cavaradossi) Pistoia/Politeama Mabellini Andrea Chénier (Chénier) Pistoia/Politeama Mabellini Mara by P. Borgognoni 1920 Madrid/T. Real Salome (Herodes) Pisa/T. Verdi Bohème (Rodolfo) Pisa/T. Verdi Fedora (Loris) Pesaro/T. Rossini Fedora (Loris) 1932 Milano/T. Lirico Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)
Pathé, Milano, 1912 or 1913
86278 Ernani (Verdi): Ferma, crudele, estinguere (w. Bardi and Magliulo) 12518, 86278, 2586, 5009
86284 Tosca (Puccini): Trionfal di nuova speme (w. Magliulo) 12522, 86284, 5017
86291 Forza del destino (Verdi): Amici in vita e in morte (w. Adolfo Pacini) 12562, 86291, 5010
Zon-o-phone, Milano, around 1906
A512 Tosca (Puccini): Mia gelosa (w. Carmen Melis) 12636
Tosca (Puccini): O dolci mani (w. Carmen Melis) 12638
Tosca (Puccini): Trionfal di nuova speme (w. Carmen Melis) 12639
Tosca (Puccini): Non la sospiri (w. Carmen Melis) 24010
A648 Manon Lescaut (Puccini): Tra voi belle 12648
Figlia di Iorio (Franchetti): Rinverdisca per noi 12647
Zon-o-phone, New York City, date unknown
Mefistofele (Boito): Strano figlio del Caos 40101
Primary source: Gesellschaft für historische Tonträger, Wien
I wish to thank Anton Bieber for the Tosca recording and label scan. I wish to thank Roberto Marcocci for the picture, the recording and the chronology. |
