Giovanni Martinelli

Note by Norman White











Giovanni Martinelli's first role was in 1908 as the messenger in Verdi's Aida: a tiny role, but from such a small beginning a great career followed. After his debut in a major role, Verdi's Ernani in Milan 1910, he was invited by the music publisher Giulio Ricordi to audition for the Rome Opera. He arrived at the appointed hour and was shown onto the stage where he sang two arias to a darkened auditorium. It was only when the lights went up that he discovered not only Giulio Ricordi, but also Giacomo Puccini and Arturo Toscanini. He soon realised that the audition was for the role of Dick Johnson in Puccini's latest opera La Fanciulla del West, which was to have its Italian premiere in Rome in 1911. When the three men came onto the stage, Puccini and Ricordi both congratulated the young tenor but Toscanini was hesitant and said that he thought him too young and inexperienced for such an important role. Martinelli with a flash of inspiration replied, "Nothing is lost, I have seen Rome and met Italy's greatest opera composer and conductor". Toscanini quickly changed his mind and coached him for the new role.

Martinelli's London debut was at Covent Garden in 1912 as Cavaradossi in Tosca. The Metropolitan followed in 1913, with Rodolfo in La Boheme. At the Met he became a friend of Caruso who presented the young tenor with his own costume for the role of Canio in Leoncavallo's Pagliacci. After the early death of Caruso, Martinelli succeeded to many of his roles. He sang thirty-three successive seasons at the Met: a record for a tenor.

Martinelli is remembered for the clarion delivery and impeccable legato of his phrasing. In his long operatic career he performed in more than fifty operas mainly in the Italian and French repertoire. Occasionally he would include such novelties as Weber's Oberon sung in the original English and in 1939, Tristan in German to Kirsten Flagstad's Isolde.

Among his most famous operas were Otello, Samson et Dalila, Aida, 11 Trovatore, La Forza del Destino, turandot, Guglielmo Tell and Pagliacci. London audiences will always remember the 1937 coronation season when after an absence of eighteen years he returned to sing in Aida, Carmen, Otello, tosca and the celebrated performances of Turandot with Eva Turner.

Throughout his career Martinelli recorded for the Edison and victor Gramophone Companies and made a number of short films for the Vitaphone Company. His last performance was as the Emperor Altoum in Piccini's Turandot in 1965 at the age of 80. During the 1960's he gave a number of Lectures in London and America. He died in 1969.


© 1989 Norman White

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