Enrico Tamberlik
Encyclopedia
Enrico Tamberlik was an Italian tenor
who sang to great acclaim at Europe and America's leading opera
venues. He excelled in the heroic roles of the Italian and French repertories and was renowned for his powerful declamation and clarion high notes.
, some sources claim that Tamberlik might have been of Romanian descent and that his real name was Nikita Torna. Nonetheless, his vocal training was entirely Italian. He studied first in Naples
with Zirilli and Borgna, then in Bologna
with Guglielmi, and finally in Milan
with De Abella.
The budding tenore robusto made his debut in concert in 1837, and later graced the operatic stage for the first time at the Teatro Apollo in Rome, as Gennaro in Lucrezia Borgia
and as Arnoldo in Guglielmo Tell. He subsequently appeared at the Teatro Fondo in Naples
in 1841, under the name Enrico Danieli, as Tybalt in I Capuleti e i Montecchi
, and during the 1842-43 season, made his debut at the Teatro San Carlo, under the name Enrico Tamberlik (which he used henceforth). He appeared, too, in Madrid
and Barcelona
.
In 1850, Tamberlik debuted at the Royal Opera House
in London
's Covent Garden
, as Masaniello in La muette de Portici
. He was to appear regularly at Covent Garden until 1870, enjoying star billing each time. Tamberlik sang often at the Mariinsky Theatre
in St Petersburg from 1850 until 1863, creating the role of Alvaro in Verdi's La forza del destino
on November 10, 1862. He
made his initial guest appearance at the Théâtre-Italien in Paris
in 1858, returning there many times until 1877.
Tamberlik portrayed Alfredo in La traviata
to the Violetta of Sofia Vera Lorini for the opening of the original Teatro Colón opera house in Buenos Aires in 1857. He also appeared in North America, singing at the Academy of Music
in New York City during the 1873-74 season. He last singing engagements in London were at Her Majesty's Theatre
in 1877. He toured Spain again in 1881 and retired from the operatic stage shortly afterwards. Tamberlik's death occurred in Paris, three days before his 69th birthday.
(1816-1887) as Italy's leading tenore robusto, and he ranked behind only the more lyrical-voiced Mario
as the most celebrated Italian tenor of the middle decades of the 19th century. (Indeed, he and Mario actually sang together in a production of Meyerbeer's Robert le diable
at Covent Garden.)
According to contemporary accounts of his singing, Tamberlik possessed a big, incisive voice with a pervasive vibrato
(for which he was criticised by some English music critics) and ringing top notes—including a potent top C-sharp delivered in full chest voice. These virile vocal attributes, coupled with an imposing appearance, made him an exceptionally exciting interpreter of dramatic roles, especially such parts as Jean in Le prophète
, Arnoldo in Guglielmo Tell and Manrico in Il trovatore
. Other notable roles of his included (Rossini's) Otello
, Pollione
, Arturo
, Ernani
, Robert le diable
, Faust
, Don Ottavio
, Florestan
, Max
, Poliuto
and Cellini
.
The heroic tenor Francesco Tamagno
(1850-1905) was regarded as being Tamberlik's foremost successor. Their careers overlapped slightly and an echo of Tamberlik's voice and style may be preserved in the acoustic recordings that Tamagno made in Italy in 1903-1904 for the Gramophone & Typewriter Company.
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
who sang to great acclaim at Europe and America's leading opera
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...
venues. He excelled in the heroic roles of the Italian and French repertories and was renowned for his powerful declamation and clarion high notes.
Career
Born in RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, some sources claim that Tamberlik might have been of Romanian descent and that his real name was Nikita Torna. Nonetheless, his vocal training was entirely Italian. He studied first in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
with Zirilli and Borgna, then in Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
with Guglielmi, and finally in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
with De Abella.
The budding tenore robusto made his debut in concert in 1837, and later graced the operatic stage for the first time at the Teatro Apollo in Rome, as Gennaro in Lucrezia Borgia
Lucrezia Borgia (opera)
Lucrezia Borgia is a melodramma, or opera, in a prologue and two acts by Gaetano Donizetti. Felice Romani wrote the Italian libretto after the play by Victor Hugo, in its turn after the legend of Lucrezia Borgia. Lucrezia Borgia was first performed on 26 December 1833 at La Scala, Milan with...
and as Arnoldo in Guglielmo Tell. He subsequently appeared at the Teatro Fondo in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
in 1841, under the name Enrico Danieli, as Tybalt in I Capuleti e i Montecchi
I Capuleti e i Montecchi
I Capuleti e i Montecchi is an Italian opera in two acts by Vincenzo Bellini.The libretto by Felice Romani was a reworking of the story of Romeo and Juliet for an opera by Nicola Vaccai called Giulietta e Romeo. This was based on Italian sources rather than taken directly from Shakespeare...
, and during the 1842-43 season, made his debut at the Teatro San Carlo, under the name Enrico Tamberlik (which he used henceforth). He appeared, too, in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
and Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
.
In 1850, Tamberlik debuted at the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
, as Masaniello in La muette de Portici
La muette de Portici
La muette de Portici originally called Masaniello, ou La muette de Portici, is an opera in five acts by Daniel Auber, with a libretto by Germain Delavigne, revised by Eugène Scribe...
. He was to appear regularly at Covent Garden until 1870, enjoying star billing each time. Tamberlik sang often at the Mariinsky Theatre
Mariinsky Theatre
The Mariinsky Theatre is a historic theatre of opera and ballet in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Opened in 1860, it became the preeminent music theatre of late 19th century Russia, where many of the stage masterpieces of Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov received their premieres. The...
in St Petersburg from 1850 until 1863, creating the role of Alvaro in Verdi's La forza del destino
La forza del destino
La forza del destino is an Italian opera by Giuseppe Verdi. The libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on a Spanish drama, Don Álvaro o la fuerza del sino , by Ángel de Saavedra, Duke of Rivas, with a scene adapted from Friedrich Schiller's Wallensteins Lager. It was first performed...
on November 10, 1862. He
made his initial guest appearance at the Théâtre-Italien in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1858, returning there many times until 1877.
Tamberlik portrayed Alfredo in La traviata
La traviata
La traviata is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on La dame aux Camélias , a play adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas, fils. The title La traviata means literally The Fallen Woman, or perhaps more figuratively, The Woman...
to the Violetta of Sofia Vera Lorini for the opening of the original Teatro Colón opera house in Buenos Aires in 1857. He also appeared in North America, singing at the Academy of Music
Academy of Music (Manhattan)
The Academy of Music was a New York City opera house, located at East 14th Street and Irving Place in Manhattan. The 4,000-seat hall opened on October 2, 1854. The New York Times review declared it to be an acoustical "triumph", but "In every other aspect .....
in New York City during the 1873-74 season. He last singing engagements in London were at Her Majesty's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre, in Haymarket, City of Westminster, London. The present building was designed by Charles J. Phipps and was constructed in 1897 for actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who established the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art at the theatre...
in 1877. He toured Spain again in 1881 and retired from the operatic stage shortly afterwards. Tamberlik's death occurred in Paris, three days before his 69th birthday.
Vocal Characteristics and repertoire
Tamberlik succeeded Gaetano FraschiniGaetano Fraschini
Gaetano Fraschini was an Italian tenor. He created many roles in 19th century operas, including five composed by Giuseppe Verdi. His voice was "heroic ... with a baritonal quality, .....
(1816-1887) as Italy's leading tenore robusto, and he ranked behind only the more lyrical-voiced Mario
Mario
is a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
as the most celebrated Italian tenor of the middle decades of the 19th century. (Indeed, he and Mario actually sang together in a production of Meyerbeer's Robert le diable
Robert le diable (opera)
Robert le diable is an opera by Giacomo Meyerbeer, often regarded as the first grand opera. The libretto was written by Eugène Scribe and Casimir Delavigne and has little connection to the medieval legend of Robert the Devil. Originally planned as a three-act opéra comique, "Meyerbeer persuaded...
at Covent Garden.)
According to contemporary accounts of his singing, Tamberlik possessed a big, incisive voice with a pervasive vibrato
Vibrato
Vibrato is a musical effect consisting of a regular, pulsating change of pitch. It is used to add expression to vocal and instrumental music. Vibrato is typically characterised in terms of two factors: the amount of pitch variation and the speed with which the pitch is varied .-Vibrato and...
(for which he was criticised by some English music critics) and ringing top notes—including a potent top C-sharp delivered in full chest voice. These virile vocal attributes, coupled with an imposing appearance, made him an exceptionally exciting interpreter of dramatic roles, especially such parts as Jean in Le prophète
Le prophète
Le prophète is an opera in five acts by Giacomo Meyerbeer. The French-language libretto was by Eugène Scribe.-Performance history:...
, Arnoldo in Guglielmo Tell and Manrico in Il trovatore
Il trovatore
Il trovatore is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, based on the play El Trovador by Antonio García Gutiérrez. Cammarano died in mid-1852 before completing the libretto...
. Other notable roles of his included (Rossini's) Otello
Otello (Rossini)
Otello is an opera in three acts by Gioachino Rossini to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Berio di Salsi, based on Shakespeare's play Othello....
, Pollione
Norma (opera)
Norma is a tragedia lirica or opera in two acts by Vincenzo Bellini with libretto by Felice Romani after Norma, ossia L'infanticidio by Alexandre Soumet. First produced at La Scala on December 26, 1831, it is generally regarded as an example of the supreme height of the bel canto tradition...
, Arturo
I puritani
I puritani is an opera in three acts by Vincenzo Bellini. It was his last opera. Its libretto is by Count Carlo Pepoli, based on Têtes rondes et Cavaliers by Jacques-François Ancelot and Joseph Xavier Saintine, which is in turn based on Walter Scott's novel Old Mortality. It was first produced at...
, 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...
, Robert le diable
Robert le diable (opera)
Robert le diable is an opera by Giacomo Meyerbeer, often regarded as the first grand opera. The libretto was written by Eugène Scribe and Casimir Delavigne and has little connection to the medieval legend of Robert the Devil. Originally planned as a three-act opéra comique, "Meyerbeer persuaded...
, Faust
Faust (opera)
Faust is a drame lyrique in five acts by Charles Gounod to a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré from Carré's play Faust et Marguerite, in turn loosely based on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust, Part 1...
, Don Ottavio
Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and with an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It was premiered by the Prague Italian opera at the Teatro di Praga on October 29, 1787...
, Florestan
Fidelio
Fidelio is a German opera in two acts by Ludwig van Beethoven. It is Beethoven's only opera. The German libretto is by Joseph Sonnleithner from the French of Jean-Nicolas Bouilly which had been used for the 1798 opera Léonore, ou L’amour conjugal by Pierre Gaveaux, and for the 1804 opera Leonora...
, Max
Der Freischütz
Der Freischütz is an opera in three acts by Carl Maria von Weber with a libretto by Friedrich Kind. It premiered on 18 June 1821 at the Schauspielhaus Berlin...
, Poliuto
Poliuto
Poliuto is a tragedia lirica, or tragic opera, by Gaetano Donizetti. Salvadore Cammarano wrote the Italian libretto after Pierre Corneille's play Polyeucte . It was composed in 1838 and first performed on 30 November 1848 at the Teatro San Carlo, Naples...
and Cellini
Benvenuto Cellini (opera)
Benvenuto Cellini is an opera in two acts with music by Hector Berlioz and libretto by Léon de Wailly and Henri Auguste Barbier. It was the first of Berlioz's operas. The story is loosely based on the memoirs of the Florentine sculptor Benvenuto Cellini. The opera is technically very challenging...
.
The heroic tenor Francesco Tamagno
Francesco Tamagno
Francesco Tamagno was an operatic tenor from Italy who sang with enormous success throughout Europe and America. On 5 February 1887, he cemented his place in musical history by creating the role of Otello in Giuseppe Verdi's masterpiece of the same name...
(1850-1905) was regarded as being Tamberlik's foremost successor. Their careers overlapped slightly and an echo of Tamberlik's voice and style may be preserved in the acoustic recordings that Tamagno made in Italy in 1903-1904 for the Gramophone & Typewriter Company.
Sources
- Grove Music Online, entry by Elizabeth Forbes, July 2008.
- The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Opera, second edition, edited by Harold Rosenthal and John Warrack, Oxford University Press, London, 1980.
- The Great Singers, revised edition, by Henry Pleasants, Macmillan Publishing, London, 1983.