Giovanni Martinelli (22 October 1885 – 2 February, 1969) was a celebrated I… Read Full Bio ↴Giovanni Martinelli (22 October 1885 – 2 February, 1969) was a celebrated Italian operatic tenor. He was particularly associated with the Italian lyric-dramatic repertory, although he performed French operatic roles to great acclaim as well. Martinelli was one of the most famous tenors of the 20th century, enjoying a long career at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City and appearing at other major international theatres.
Martinelli was born in Montagnana, Veneto.
After service as a clarinetist in a military band, he studied with Giuseppe Mandolini in Milan, and made his professional debut at the Teatro Dal Verme, as Ernani in 1910. The role of Dick Johnson in La fanciulla del West became his passport role, he sang it for his debut in Rome (under Toscanini), Brescia, Naples, Genoa, all in 1911, as well as in Monte Carlo and La Scala, in 1912. Cavaradossi in Tosca, was his debut role at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in London, and for his first American engagement in Philadelphia, in 1913. On 25 April 1913 he portrayed Pantagruel in the world premiere of Jules Massenet's Panurge at the Théâtre de la Gaîté in Paris.
Martinelli's New York Metropolitan Opera debut took place on November 20, 1913, as Rodolfo in La Bohème, where the young tenor's easy high C and pure, silvery tone attracted favorable attention. He remained a Met mainstay for 32 seasons, with 926 performances of 36 roles. He appeared most often as Radames in Aida, Otello, Manrico in Il trovatore, Don Alvaro in La forza del destino, Calaf in Turandot, and Dick Johnson in La fanciulla del West, but also as Arnold in Guglielmo Tell, Eleazar in La Juive, Enzo in La Gioconda, Don Jose in Carmen, Vasco de Gama in L'Africaine, Canio in Pagliacci, Pollione in Norma.
Martinelli also sang in Boston, San Francisco and Chicago, often trying out new roles before singing them at the Met.
Outside the United States, Martinelli appeared in Paris and Buenos Aires during his prime; but, oddly enough, his native Italy did not hear him at his peak. In 1937, he returned to London to sing at Covent Garden in highly acclaimed performances of Otello, and as Calaf opposite the English dramatic soprano Eva Turner. He retired from the stage in 1950, although he gave one final performance at the age of 82 as the Emperor Altoum, in Turandot, in Seattle.
Martinelli was essentially a spinto tenor of steely brilliance. His rigorously-controlled technique gave him exceptional breath control, although it did not prohibit some occasional tightness and squeezing out of notes, particularly late in his career. His interpretive style was generally restrained and noble, but he was capable of delivering passionate histrionic outbursts where appropriate in such roles as Canio. As his voice matured, some regarded him as Enrico Caruso's successor in dramatic parts, although the timbre of their voices were markedly different. (Caruso's tone was much richer and warmer than Martinelli's.) Martinelli's forward, vibrant projection and broad phrasing found their supreme expression in Verdi's operas, ranging from Ernani to Otello. In lyrical or light-hearted music, however, his voice production could be too forceful and stiff.
In private life, Martinelli was said to be something of a playboy, with a charming personality, a wealth of anecdotes, and an impressive head of hair that grew silver with age.
[edit]
Martinelli was born in Montagnana, Veneto.
After service as a clarinetist in a military band, he studied with Giuseppe Mandolini in Milan, and made his professional debut at the Teatro Dal Verme, as Ernani in 1910. The role of Dick Johnson in La fanciulla del West became his passport role, he sang it for his debut in Rome (under Toscanini), Brescia, Naples, Genoa, all in 1911, as well as in Monte Carlo and La Scala, in 1912. Cavaradossi in Tosca, was his debut role at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in London, and for his first American engagement in Philadelphia, in 1913. On 25 April 1913 he portrayed Pantagruel in the world premiere of Jules Massenet's Panurge at the Théâtre de la Gaîté in Paris.
Martinelli's New York Metropolitan Opera debut took place on November 20, 1913, as Rodolfo in La Bohème, where the young tenor's easy high C and pure, silvery tone attracted favorable attention. He remained a Met mainstay for 32 seasons, with 926 performances of 36 roles. He appeared most often as Radames in Aida, Otello, Manrico in Il trovatore, Don Alvaro in La forza del destino, Calaf in Turandot, and Dick Johnson in La fanciulla del West, but also as Arnold in Guglielmo Tell, Eleazar in La Juive, Enzo in La Gioconda, Don Jose in Carmen, Vasco de Gama in L'Africaine, Canio in Pagliacci, Pollione in Norma.
Martinelli also sang in Boston, San Francisco and Chicago, often trying out new roles before singing them at the Met.
Outside the United States, Martinelli appeared in Paris and Buenos Aires during his prime; but, oddly enough, his native Italy did not hear him at his peak. In 1937, he returned to London to sing at Covent Garden in highly acclaimed performances of Otello, and as Calaf opposite the English dramatic soprano Eva Turner. He retired from the stage in 1950, although he gave one final performance at the age of 82 as the Emperor Altoum, in Turandot, in Seattle.
Martinelli was essentially a spinto tenor of steely brilliance. His rigorously-controlled technique gave him exceptional breath control, although it did not prohibit some occasional tightness and squeezing out of notes, particularly late in his career. His interpretive style was generally restrained and noble, but he was capable of delivering passionate histrionic outbursts where appropriate in such roles as Canio. As his voice matured, some regarded him as Enrico Caruso's successor in dramatic parts, although the timbre of their voices were markedly different. (Caruso's tone was much richer and warmer than Martinelli's.) Martinelli's forward, vibrant projection and broad phrasing found their supreme expression in Verdi's operas, ranging from Ernani to Otello. In lyrical or light-hearted music, however, his voice production could be too forceful and stiff.
In private life, Martinelli was said to be something of a playboy, with a charming personality, a wealth of anecdotes, and an impressive head of hair that grew silver with age.
[edit]
Ideale
Giovanni Martinelli Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Ideale' by these artists:
Andrea Bocelli Io ti seguii come'iride di pace Lungo le vie del cielo; Io…
Andrea Bocelli / Lorin Maazel / LSO Io ti seguii come'iride di pace Lungo le vie del cielo Io…
Andrea Bocelli London Symphony Orchestra & Lorin Maazel Io ti seguii come'iride di pace Lungo le vie del cielo Io…
Andrea Bocelli London Symphony Orchestra Lorin Maazel Io ti seguii come'iride di pace Lungo le vie del cielo Io…
Andrea Bocelli/London Symphony Orchestra Io ti seguii come'iride di pace Lungo le vie del cielo Io…
b.abuse A cada quien lo suyo, yo elegí mi camino, tu…
Enrico Caruso (ten. B.1873) A cada quien lo suyo, yo elegí mi camino, tu…
Francesco Paolo Tosti Io ti seguii come'iride di pace Lungo le vie del cielo; Io…
José Carreras Io ti seguii com′iride di pace Lungo le vie del cielo. Io…
Mina Io ti seguii come'iride di pace Lungo le vie del cielo; Io…
P. Tosti Io ti seguii Com'iride di pace Lungo le vie del cielo Io ti…
Paolo Tosti Io ti seguii Com'iride di pace Lungo le vie del cielo Io ti…
Tosti Io ti seguii Com'iride di pace Lungo le vie del cielo Io ti…
Tosti Paolo Io ti seguii Com'iride di pace Lungo le vie del cielo Io ti…
Wolfgang Ambros Es war ein Tag wie jeder andere, Es is eigentlich nix…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Giovanni Martinelli:
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Joseph Donnantuoni
Let's face it, if a tenor shows up singing like this or especially the younger Martinelli voice at one of those bash or gigsalad gigs or a party, the peoples eye balls and and ears will be all popping out with their goose bumps. And they will remember, and then say what 'were we thinking' when we heard ....others
oldoperafan
The two versions I know of which he recorded in his prime are sublime.
ciroalb3
yes, I have a 1958 version, the legato is finer than the earlier recording. Of course the voice is not as fresh and clear, but that matter less in this sort of song
music fa
There's not much "interpretation" you can do with this type of song... What's needed is a beautiful voice ,an elegiac mood,and dynamics. Well for a beautiful voice we need to look elsewhere ,nobody's voice is beautiful in their old age , anyway I find it interesting to compare the style with that of other
-tenors-singers of the same generation or older like Battistini's who had recorded this twice, the last also when he was quite oldmusic fa
@Joseph Donnantuoni You spamed me with links and three short sentences completely unrelated to what I wrote . Why should I be interested in your mom or in your your linking ? Why you believe a perfect stranger could be interested in your advertising your own family beats me .I don't know in what universe you live ,but I live in the same universe with the programmers of the utube software ,who give us the option to report users for spaming us . If you want to reply ,have the decency of replying to what I have said . If not ,get lost . At any rate ,stop advertising your family . I am not interested in cheap philosophy ,what takes and what doesn't take in your opinion thousand years to understand . If you need thousand years , that's your problem
Joseph Donnantuoni
@music fa Your youtube is titled Ideale with Martinelli. It will take 1000 years for someone to know what he is doing in his voice. That I know.
music fa
@Joseph Donnantuoni Huh? What do I care? I'm sure you confused conversations and meant to reply to someone alse
Joseph Donnantuoni
@music fa I have a letter from Martinelli to my Mom; she won the American Opera auditions in 1959. Martinelli taught my mom. Mom taught me. troll that: https://youtu.be/DivogKodIqs
music fa
@Joseph Donnantuoni Please write full sentences if you want to tell me something ,I don't take kindly to users who drop links ,they're all trolls to me
ciroalb3
unmatched legato!