Antonio Selva
Encyclopedia
Antonio Selva was an Italian opera
tic bass
who had an active international career from the 1840s through the 1870s. He was particularly associated with the works of Giuseppe Verdi
.
, Selva was the brother of actor Giambattista Scremin. He originally trained to be an organ
builder under Angelo Agostini
. Angelo's father, the voice teacher Lorenzo Agostini, discovered his beautiful natural singing voice and began training him for an opera career. He made his professional opera debut in 1842 in one of the smaller theatre's in his home town as Zaccaria in Giuseppe Verdi
's Nabucco
. He was also active as a member of the opera chorus at La Fenice
while a teenager. At the age of 19, he was chosen by Verdi to portray Don Carlo in the world premiere of the composer's Ernani
at La Fenice on 9 March 1844 as a last minute replacement for an ailing singer.
Selva was soon invited to portray roles at leading opera house
s throughout Italy. He made at appearances at La Scala
, the Teatro Comunale di Bologna
, the Teatro di San Carlo
in Naples, the Teatro San Samuele
in Venice, and the Teatro Valle
in Rome among others. In 1849 he created the role of Count Walter in the world premiere of Verdi's Luisa Miller
in Naples. He also sang at the Théâtre Italien in Paris from 1865–1867 and was a heard at the Teatro Real
in Madrid in 1852-1853 and between 1864 and 1874. Some of the roles in his stage repertoire were Balthazar in Gaetano Donizetti
's La favorite
, Banquo and many of the comprimario
roles in Verdi's Macbeth
, Briano in Verdi's Aroldo
, Mosei in Verdi's I masnadieri
, and the title role in Verdi's Attila
.
After retiring from the stage in the mid 1870s, Selva worked as a singing teacher in his native city. He died in Padua in 1889 at the age of 65.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
tic bass
Bass (voice type)
A bass is a type of male singing voice and possesses the lowest vocal range of all voice types. According to The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, a bass is typically classified as having a range extending from around the second E below middle C to the E above middle C...
who had an active international career from the 1840s through the 1870s. He was particularly associated with the works of Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
.
Life and career
Born with the name Antonio Scremin in PaduaPadua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
, Selva was the brother of actor Giambattista Scremin. He originally trained to be an organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
builder under Angelo Agostini
Angelo Agostini
Angelo Agostini was an illustrator, journalist and founder of several publications, and although born in Italy, is considered the first Brazilian cartoonist.-Biography:...
. Angelo's father, the voice teacher Lorenzo Agostini, discovered his beautiful natural singing voice and began training him for an opera career. He made his professional opera debut in 1842 in one of the smaller theatre's in his home town as Zaccaria in Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
's Nabucco
Nabucco
Nabucco is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Temistocle Solera, based on the Biblical story and the 1836 play by Auguste Anicet-Bourgeois and Francis Cornue...
. He was also active as a member of the opera chorus at La Fenice
La Fenice
Teatro La Fenice is an opera house in Venice, Italy. It is one of the most famous theatres in Europe, the site of many famous operatic premieres. Its name reflects its role in permitting an opera company to "rise from the ashes" despite losing the use of two theatres...
while a teenager. At the age of 19, he was chosen by Verdi to portray Don Carlo in the world premiere of the composer's Ernani
Ernani
Ernani is an operatic dramma lirico in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, based on the play Hernani by Victor Hugo. The first production took place at La Fenice Theatre, Venice on 9 March 1844...
at La Fenice on 9 March 1844 as a last minute replacement for an ailing singer.
Selva was soon invited to portray roles at leading opera house
Opera house
An opera house is a theatre building used for opera performances that consists of a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and set building...
s throughout Italy. He made at appearances at La Scala
La Scala
La Scala , is a world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala...
, the Teatro Comunale di Bologna
Teatro Comunale di Bologna
The Teatro Comunale di Bologna is an opera house in Bologna, Italy, and is one of the most important opera venues in Italy. Typically, it presents eight operas with six performances during its November to April season....
, the Teatro di San Carlo
Teatro di San Carlo
The Real Teatro di San Carlo is an opera house in Naples, Italy. It is the oldest continuously active such venue in Europe.Founded by the Bourbon Charles VII of Naples of the Spanish branch of the dynasty, the theatre was inaugurated on 4 November 1737 — the king's name day — with a performance...
in Naples, the Teatro San Samuele
Teatro San Samuele
Teatro San Samuele was an opera house and theatre located at the Rio del Duca, between Campo San Samuele and Campo Santo Stefano, in Venice. One of several important theatres built in that city by the Grimani family, the theatre opened in 1656 and operated continuously until a fire destroyed the...
in Venice, and the Teatro Valle
Teatro Valle
The Teatro Valle is a theatre and former opera house in Rome, Italy.Commissioned by the Capranica family, the architect Tommaso Morelli designed the theatre which was built in 1726. It was inaugurated with the staging of the tragedy Matilde by Simon Falconio Pratoli...
in Rome among others. In 1849 he created the role of Count Walter in the world premiere of Verdi's Luisa Miller
Luisa Miller
Luisa Miller is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, based on the play Kabale und Liebe by Friedrich von Schiller. The first performance was given at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples on December 8, 1849...
in Naples. He also sang at the Théâtre Italien in Paris from 1865–1867 and was a heard at the Teatro Real
Teatro Real
The Teatro Real or simply El Real , is a major opera house located in Madrid, Spain.-History:...
in Madrid in 1852-1853 and between 1864 and 1874. Some of the roles in his stage repertoire were Balthazar in Gaetano Donizetti
Gaetano Donizetti
Domenico Gaetano Maria Donizetti was an Italian composer from Bergamo, Lombardy. His best-known works are the operas L'elisir d'amore , Lucia di Lammermoor , and Don Pasquale , all in Italian, and the French operas La favorite and La fille du régiment...
's La favorite
La favorite
La favorite is an opera in four acts by Gaetano Donizetti to a French-language libretto by Alphonse Royer and Gustave Vaëz, based on the play Le comte de Comminges by Baculard d'Arnaud...
, Banquo and many of the comprimario
Comprimario
A Comprimario is a supporting role in an opera. Derived from the Italian "con primario", or "with the primary", the term refers to a performer who sings small role pieces....
roles in Verdi's Macbeth
Macbeth (opera)
Macbeth is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi, with an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave and additions by Andrea Maffei, based on Shakespeare's play of the same name...
, Briano in Verdi's Aroldo
Aroldo
Aroldo is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, based on and adapted from their earlier 1850 collaboration, Stiffelio...
, Mosei in Verdi's I masnadieri
I masnadieri
I masnadieri is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Andrea Maffei, based on Die Räuber by Friedrich von Schiller....
, and the title role in Verdi's Attila
Attila (opera)
Attila is an opera in a prologue and three acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Temistocle Solera, based on the play Attila, König der Hunnen by Friedrich Ludwig Zacharias Werner. Initially, Verdi had enlisted Francesco Maria Piave to prepare the libretto, after Verdi's own scenario...
.
After retiring from the stage in the mid 1870s, Selva worked as a singing teacher in his native city. He died in Padua in 1889 at the age of 65.