Giovanni Zenatello |

Giovanni Zenatello

Started out as a baritone. Debut 1898 (Venice, part of Silvio in Pagliacci). Two years later he appeared as Canio (Naples) in the same opera. Since 1903 at La Scala, where he was a participant in a number of world premieres (Siberia by Giordano, Vasily’s part, 1903; Madama Butterfly, Pinkerton’s part, 1904; etc.). In 1906 he performed the part of Hermann in the first production of The Queen of Spades in Italy. One of the best performers of the part of Othello at the beginning of the century (since 1906, he performed in the opera more than 500 times). In 1913 he sang Radames at the opening of the Arena di Verona festival. Toured in the USA, in South America. In 1916 he performed with great success in Boston the role of Masaniello in Aubert’s The Mute from Portici. After leaving the stage (1934), he created a singing studio in New York (among his students were Pons and others). Callas was one of the first to discover talent.

E. Tsodokov