Today is the birthday of Enrico Caruso, considered by many to be one of the greatest tenors of all time. He was born in Naples
in the via Santi Giovanni e Paolo n° 7 on February 25, 1873, he was baptized the next day in the adjacent Church of San Giovanni e Paolo.
1910 postcard
On April 11, 1902, Enrico Caruso walked into the Grand Hotel in Milan. Two hours and 10 songs later, the Neapolitan tenor walked out with a cheque for $100 ($10,000 in today's currency) and the world of music would never be the same. Those first recordings were released just before Caruso made his Metropolitan Opera debut and would go on to sell over 1 million copies, and April 11 will go down as the day that changed the recording industry.
The maker of these recordings was Fred Gaisberg, the talent scout from the Gramophone Company in London, who had discovered Caruso a few days earlier at La Scala in a production of Germania by Alberto Franchetti. When Gaisberg transmitted Caruso's fee for recording the ten songs to London, the cabled reply came back: Fee exorbitant, forbid you to record. Gaisberg crumpled the telegram and went ahead with the recording.
The maker of these recordings was Fred Gaisberg, the talent scout from the Gramophone Company in London, who had discovered Caruso a few days earlier at La Scala in a production of Germania by Alberto Franchetti. When Gaisberg transmitted Caruso's fee for recording the ten songs to London, the cabled reply came back: Fee exorbitant, forbid you to record. Gaisberg crumpled the telegram and went ahead with the recording.
In 1951 a biopic on the life of Enrico Caruso was made; entitled, The Great Caruso, Mario Lanza was cast in the role of the tenor. Lanza had a fantastic voice and he was beyond handsome.
date & photographer unknown
The wife of Caruso, Dorothy Park Benjamin, was portrayed by Ann Blyth. It featured a large number of Metropolitan Opera stars, notably sopranos Teresa Celli, Lucine Amara, and Marina Koshetz, mezzo-soprano Blanche Thebom, baritone Giuseppe Valdengo, and bass Nicola Moscona.
The original music was by Johnny Green (link below).
The Great Caruso, produced a million-seller with The Loveliest Night of the Year (the song used the melody of Sobre las Olas (link below), written by Juventino Rosas). The Great Caruso was the top-grossing film that year.
The Great Caruso, produced a million-seller with The Loveliest Night of the Year (the song used the melody of Sobre las Olas (link below), written by Juventino Rosas). The Great Caruso was the top-grossing film that year.
The Great Caruso - 1951
movie poster
photo of front cover byStyrous®
Caruso died shortly after 9:00 a.m. local time, on August 2,
1921, in his native Naples, not far from where he was born. He was 48 years old. The Bastianelli brothers, eminent medical practitioners with a clinic in Rome attributed the likely cause of death
to peritonitis arising from a burst subphrenic abscess. In his biography, Enrico Caruso, Jr. (link below) points to an on-stage injury suffered by Caruso as
the possible trigger of his fatal illness. A falling pillar in Samson and Delilah on December 3 the previous year had hit him on the back, over the left kidney.
Enrico Caruso – The Best Of Caruso
Label: RCA Victor Red Seal – LM 6056
Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP, Mono, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 1958
Genre: Classical
Style: Opera, Romantic
Tracklist:
Side 1:
A1 - Aïda: Act I: Celeste Aïda
Label: RCA Victor Red Seal – LM 6056
Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP, Mono, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 1958
Genre: Classical
Style: Opera, Romantic
Tracklist:
Side 1:
A1 - Aïda: Act I: Celeste Aïda
(Recorded December 27, 1911)
A2 - La Forza Del Destino: Act III: Solenne In Questora, Baritone Vocals – Antonio Scotti (Recorded March 13, 1906)
A3 - Rigoletto: Act I: Questa O Quella
A2 - La Forza Del Destino: Act III: Solenne In Questora, Baritone Vocals – Antonio Scotti (Recorded March 13, 1906)
A3 - Rigoletto: Act I: Questa O Quella
Date not given
A4 - Rigoletto: Act IV: La Donna È Mobile
A4 - Rigoletto: Act IV: La Donna È Mobile
(Recorded March 16, 1908)
A5 - Rigoletto: Act IV: Quartet: Bella Figlia Dell 'Amore, Baritone Vocals – Giuseppe De Luca (3), Contralto Vocals – Flora Perini, Soprano Vocals – Amelita Galli-Curci
(Recorded January 25, 1917)
A6 - Il Trovatore: Act IV: Ai Nostri Monti, Contralto Vocals – Louise Homer
(Recorded March 17, 1908)
A7 - Otello: Act II: Si Pel Ciel, Baritone Vocals – Titta Ruffo
A5 - Rigoletto: Act IV: Quartet: Bella Figlia Dell 'Amore, Baritone Vocals – Giuseppe De Luca (3), Contralto Vocals – Flora Perini, Soprano Vocals – Amelita Galli-Curci
(Recorded January 25, 1917)
A6 - Il Trovatore: Act IV: Ai Nostri Monti, Contralto Vocals – Louise Homer
(Recorded March 17, 1908)
A7 - Otello: Act II: Si Pel Ciel, Baritone Vocals – Titta Ruffo
(Recorded January 8, 1914)
Side 2:
B1 - Xerxes: Ombra Mai Fu (Largo)
B1 - Xerxes: Ombra Mai Fu (Largo)
(Recorded January 29, 1920)
B2 - L 'Elisir D'Amore: Act II: Una Furtiva Lagrima
B2 - L 'Elisir D'Amore: Act II: Una Furtiva Lagrima
(Recorded, with Piano, February 1, 1904)
B3 - Lucia Di Lammermoor: Act II: Sextet: Chi Mi Frena In Tal Momento?, Baritone Vocals – Giuseppe De Luca (3)Bass Vocals – Marcel Journet, Contralto Vocals – Minnie Egener, Soprano Vocals – Amelita Galli-Curci, Tenor Vocals – Angelo Bada
B3 - Lucia Di Lammermoor: Act II: Sextet: Chi Mi Frena In Tal Momento?, Baritone Vocals – Giuseppe De Luca (3)Bass Vocals – Marcel Journet, Contralto Vocals – Minnie Egener, Soprano Vocals – Amelita Galli-Curci, Tenor Vocals – Angelo Bada
(Recorded January 25, 1917)
B4 - La Bohème: Act I: Che Gelida Manina
B4 - La Bohème: Act I: Che Gelida Manina
(Recorded December 30, 1912)
B5 - La Bohème: Act I: O Soave Fanciulla, Soprano Vocals – Geraldine Farrar
(Recorded February 11, 1906)
B6 - Tosca: Act I: Recondita Armonia
B5 - La Bohème: Act I: O Soave Fanciulla, Soprano Vocals – Geraldine Farrar
(Recorded February 11, 1906)
B6 - Tosca: Act I: Recondita Armonia
(Recorded November 6, 1909)
B7 - La Gioconda: Act II: Cielo E Mar
B7 - La Gioconda: Act II: Cielo E Mar
(Recorded March 14, 1910)
B8 - Pagliacci: Act I Vesti La Giubba
B8 - Pagliacci: Act I Vesti La Giubba
(Recorded March 17, 1907)
Side 3:
C1 - Amadis: Act II: Bois Épais
C1 - Amadis: Act II: Bois Épais
(Recorded September 16, 1920)
C2 - L'Africana: Act IV O Paradiso!
C2 - L'Africana: Act IV O Paradiso!
(Recorded February 20, 1907)
C3 - Carmen: Act II Air De La Fleur
C3 - Carmen: Act II Air De La Fleur
(Recorded November 7, 1909)
C4 - Manon: Act III: Recit.: Je Suis Seul; Aria: Ah! Fuyez, Douce Image
C4 - Manon: Act III: Recit.: Je Suis Seul; Aria: Ah! Fuyez, Douce Image
(Recorded December 27, 1911)
C5 - Le Cid: Act III: O Souverain! O Juge! O Père!
C5 - Le Cid: Act III: O Souverain! O Juge! O Père!
(Recorded February 5, 1916)
C6 - La Juive: Act IV: Rachel! Quand Du Seigneur La Grâce Tutélaire
C6 - La Juive: Act IV: Rachel! Quand Du Seigneur La Grâce Tutélaire
(Recorded September 14, 1920)
C7 - Martha: Act II: Quartet: Dormi Pur, Bass Vocals – Marcel Journet, Contralto Vocals – Josephine Jacoby, Soprano Vocals – Frances Alda
C7 - Martha: Act II: Quartet: Dormi Pur, Bass Vocals – Marcel Journet, Contralto Vocals – Josephine Jacoby, Soprano Vocals – Frances Alda
(Recorded January 7, 1912)
Side 4:
D1 - O Sole Mio, written by E. di Capua*, G. Capurro*
(Recorded February 5, 1916)
D2 - Vaghissima Sembianza, written by Donaudy*
(Recorded September 15, 1920)
D3 - La Campana Di San Guisto, written by Arona
(Recorded January 6, 1919)
D4 - La Partida, written by Álvarez*
(Recorded July 10, 1918)
D5 - Noche Feliz, written by Posadas*
(Recorded September 14, 1920)
D6 - Over There, written by Cohan*
(Recorded July 11, 1918)
D7 - Sei Morta Nella Vita Mia, Piano – Vincenzo Bellezza, written by P. Mario Costa
(Recorded April 16, 1918)
D8 - Luna D'Estate, written by MazzolaWritten-By – Tosti*
D1 - O Sole Mio, written by E. di Capua*, G. Capurro*
(Recorded February 5, 1916)
D2 - Vaghissima Sembianza, written by Donaudy*
(Recorded September 15, 1920)
D3 - La Campana Di San Guisto, written by Arona
(Recorded January 6, 1919)
D4 - La Partida, written by Álvarez*
(Recorded July 10, 1918)
D5 - Noche Feliz, written by Posadas*
(Recorded September 14, 1920)
D6 - Over There, written by Cohan*
(Recorded July 11, 1918)
D7 - Sei Morta Nella Vita Mia, Piano – Vincenzo Bellezza, written by P. Mario Costa
(Recorded April 16, 1918)
D8 - Luna D'Estate, written by MazzolaWritten-By – Tosti*
(Recorded February 5, 1916)
Credits:
Liner Notes – Francis Robinson
Tenor Vocals – Enrico Caruso
Notes:
Designed to be played on an Auto-Changer:
Disc 1 A/D
Disk 2 B/C
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Matrix / Runout (Side 1 (A)): H2RP-7552 - 20S I D1
Matrix / Runout (Side 2 (B)): H2RP-7553 - 22S I A2
Matrix / Runout (Side 3 (C)): H2RP-7554 - 11S A/ I
Matrix / Runout (Side 4 (D)): H2RP-7555 - 13S I
Matrix / Runout ((var. 1) side A runout stamped): H2 RP7552-1SI B1
Matrix / Runout ((var. 1) side B runout stamped): H2RP-7553-6S I ΛI
Matrix / Runout ((var. 1) side C runout stamped): H2RP-7554-4S I A2
Matrix / Runout ((var. 1) side D runout stamped): H2 RP7555-1S I A2
Matrix / Runout ((var. 2) side A runout stamped): H2 RP7552-1S I B2
Matrix / Runout ((var. 2) side B runout stamped): H2 RP7553--1S I A1
Matrix / Runout ((var. 2) side C runout stamped): H2 RP7554-1S I B2
Matrix / Runout ((var. 2) side D runout stamped): H2RP-7555-4S I Λ2
Liner Notes – Francis Robinson
Tenor Vocals – Enrico Caruso
Notes:
Designed to be played on an Auto-Changer:
Disc 1 A/D
Disk 2 B/C
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Matrix / Runout (Side 1 (A)): H2RP-7552 - 20S I D1
Matrix / Runout (Side 2 (B)): H2RP-7553 - 22S I A2
Matrix / Runout (Side 3 (C)): H2RP-7554 - 11S A/ I
Matrix / Runout (Side 4 (D)): H2RP-7555 - 13S I
Matrix / Runout ((var. 1) side A runout stamped): H2 RP7552-1SI B1
Matrix / Runout ((var. 1) side B runout stamped): H2RP-7553-6S I ΛI
Matrix / Runout ((var. 1) side C runout stamped): H2RP-7554-4S I A2
Matrix / Runout ((var. 1) side D runout stamped): H2 RP7555-1S I A2
Matrix / Runout ((var. 2) side A runout stamped): H2 RP7552-1S I B2
Matrix / Runout ((var. 2) side B runout stamped): H2 RP7553--1S I A1
Matrix / Runout ((var. 2) side C runout stamped): H2 RP7554-1S I B2
Matrix / Runout ((var. 2) side D runout stamped): H2RP-7555-4S I Λ2
Viewfinder links:
Mario Lanza
Antonio Scotti
The Guardian ~ Enrico Caruso’s love letters, the passion of a Puccini opera
History ~ Enrico Caruso, the greatest tenor who ever lived
NY Times ~ Enrico Caruso, Jr. - Caruso, My Father and My Family
Opera Musica ~ Caruso - Tenor, Artist of the past
Scena ~ The Voice of Caruso
Antonio Scotti
Net links:
The Guardian ~ Enrico Caruso’s love letters, the passion of a Puccini opera
History ~ Enrico Caruso, the greatest tenor who ever lived
NY Times ~ Enrico Caruso, Jr. - Caruso, My Father and My Family
Opera Musica ~ Caruso - Tenor, Artist of the past
Scena ~ The Voice of Caruso
YouTube links:
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