Luigi Marini
Encyclopedia
Luigi Marini, was an Italian lyric tenor.
Marini was born in Ascoli Piceno
, Italy, in 1885. He made his opera
tic debut in Ravenna
as Alfredo in Verdi's La traviata
. After his great success, he appeared at Teatro Donizetti
in Bergamo
as Enzo Grimaldo in Ponchielli's La Gioconda
. In 1910 he made his appearance in Bucharest
(Ernesto in Don Pasquale
, Rodolfo in La bohème
). Then, in 1912, he appeared at the Municipal Teatro of Rio de Janeiro, where he sang the roles of B. F. Pinkerton in Puccini's Madama Butterfly
, Hangenbach in Catalani's La Wally
and Mario Cavaradossi in Puccini's Tosca
. In the same year he visited Teatro dell'Opera di Roma
, where he had enormous successes in the roles of Hangenbach and Rodolfo.
In 1915 he debuted at the Teatro alla Scala di Milano, in the role of Enzo Grimaldo, where he had a great success. In 1921 he returned to La Scala and sang the title roles in Puccini's Il tabarro
and Gianni Schicchi, and Catalani's La Wally. In 1924 he was invited to Covent Garden
in London, where he first sang the role of Andrea Chénier
of the opera of the same name by Umberto Giordano. After that Andrea Chénier became Marini's signature role. In 1929 he sung this role in the first complete recording of Andrea Chénier made together with Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro alla Scala di Milano under the baton of maestro Lorenzo Molajoli
(Naxos Historical 8.110066-67).
Marini was also successful in Teatro La Fenice di Venezia, Teatro Regio di Torino, Teatro San Carlo di Napoli
and Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova
, where he sang the roles of Luigi (Puccini's Il tabarro), Rinuccio (Puccini's Gianni Schicchi), Rodolfo (La bohème), Faust (Boito's Mefistofele
), Enzo Grimaldo (Ponchielli's La Gioconda) and Walter (Catalani's Loreley).
Marini also made his appearances outside Italy: he sang at Oper Zürich, Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona and Teatro Sao Carlos
in Lisbon, where he debuted in the roles of Edgardo in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor
, Rodolfo in Puccini's La bohème and Turiddu in Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana
. Marini ended his operatic career in 1931 after he sung the role Andrea Chénier. He died in Ascoli Piceno in 1942.
Marini was born in Ascoli Piceno
Ascoli Piceno
Ascoli Piceno is a town and comune in the Marche region of Italy, capital of the province of the same name. Its population is c. 51,400.-Geography:...
, Italy, in 1885. He made his 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...
tic debut in Ravenna
Ravenna
Ravenna is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and the second largest comune in Italy by land area, although, at , it is little more than half the size of the largest comune, Rome...
as Alfredo in Verdi's 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...
. After his great success, he appeared at Teatro Donizetti
Teatro Donizetti
The Teatro Donizetti is an opera house in Bergamo, Italy. Built in the 1780s using a design by architect Giovanni Francesco Lucchini, the theatre was originally referred to as either the Teatro Nuovo or Teatro di Fiera. The first opera to be mounted at the theatre, Giuseppe Sarti's Medonte, re di...
in Bergamo
Bergamo
Bergamo is a town and comune in Lombardy, Italy, about 40 km northeast of Milan. The comune is home to over 120,000 inhabitants. It is served by the Orio al Serio Airport, which also serves the Province of Bergamo, and to a lesser extent the metropolitan area of Milan...
as Enzo Grimaldo in Ponchielli's La Gioconda
La Gioconda (opera)
La Gioconda is an opera in four acts by Amilcare Ponchielli set to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on Angelo, tyran de Padoue, a play in prose by Victor Hugo, dating from 1835...
. In 1910 he made his appearance in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
(Ernesto in Don Pasquale
Don Pasquale
Don Pasquale is an opera buffa, or comic opera, in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. The librettist Giovanni Ruffini wrote the Italian language libretto after Angelo Anelli's libretto for Stefano Pavesi's Ser Marcantonio ....
, Rodolfo in La bohème
La bohème
La bohème is an opera in four acts,Puccini called the divisions quadro, a tableau or "image", rather than atto . by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Scènes de la vie de bohème by Henri Murger...
). Then, in 1912, he appeared at the Municipal Teatro of Rio de Janeiro, where he sang the roles of B. F. Pinkerton in Puccini's Madama Butterfly
Madama Butterfly
Madama Butterfly is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. Puccini based his opera in part on the short story "Madame Butterfly" by John Luther Long, which was dramatized by David Belasco...
, Hangenbach in Catalani's La Wally
La Wally
La Wally is a four-act opera by Alfredo Catalani, composed on a libretto by Luigi Illica, and first performed at La Scala, Milan on 20 January 1892....
and Mario Cavaradossi in Puccini's Tosca
Tosca
Tosca is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It premiered at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome on 14 January 1900...
. In the same year he visited Teatro dell'Opera di Roma
Teatro dell'Opera di Roma
The Teatro dell'Opera di Roma is an opera house in Rome, Italy. Originally opened in November 1880 as the 2,212 seat Costanzi Theatre, it has undergone several changes of name as well modifications and improvements...
, where he had enormous successes in the roles of Hangenbach and Rodolfo.
In 1915 he debuted at the Teatro alla Scala di Milano, in the role of Enzo Grimaldo, where he had a great success. In 1921 he returned to La Scala and sang the title roles in Puccini's Il tabarro
Il tabarro
Il tabarro is an opera in one act by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Giuseppe Adami, based on Didier Gold's play La houppelande. It is the first of the trio of operas known as Il trittico...
and Gianni Schicchi, and Catalani's La Wally. In 1924 he was invited to Covent Garden
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, where he first sang the role of Andrea Chénier
Andrea Chénier
Andrea Chénier is a verismo opera in four acts by the composer Umberto Giordano, set to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica. It is based loosely on the life of the French poet, André Chénier , who was executed during the French Revolution....
of the opera of the same name by Umberto Giordano. After that Andrea Chénier became Marini's signature role. In 1929 he sung this role in the first complete recording of Andrea Chénier made together with Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro alla Scala di Milano under the baton of maestro Lorenzo Molajoli
Lorenzo Molajoli
Lorenzo Molajoli was an Italian opera conductor who was active in recording during the 1920s and 30s.The facts surrounding the career of the conductor Lorenzo Molajoli are obscure. He was born in Rome in 1868 and studied there at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia...
(Naxos Historical 8.110066-67).
Marini was also successful in Teatro La Fenice di Venezia, Teatro Regio di Torino, Teatro San Carlo di Napoli
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...
and Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova
Teatro Carlo Felice
The Teatro Carlo Felice is the principal opera house of Genoa, Italy, used for performances of opera, ballet, orchestral music, and recitals. It is located on the Piazza De Ferrari....
, where he sang the roles of Luigi (Puccini's Il tabarro), Rinuccio (Puccini's Gianni Schicchi), Rodolfo (La bohème), Faust (Boito's Mefistofele
Mefistofele
Mefistofele is an opera in a prologue, four acts and an epilogue, the only completed opera by the Italian composer-librettist Arrigo Boito.-Composition history:...
), Enzo Grimaldo (Ponchielli's La Gioconda) and Walter (Catalani's Loreley).
Marini also made his appearances outside Italy: he sang at Oper Zürich, Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona and Teatro Sao Carlos
Teatro Nacional de São Carlos
The Teatro Nacional de São Carlos is an opera house in Lisbon, Portugal. It was opened on July 30, 1793 by Queen Maria I as a replacement for the Tejo Opera House, which was destroyed in the 1755 Lisbon earthquake...
in Lisbon, where he debuted in the roles of Edgardo in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor
Lucia di Lammermoor
Lucia di Lammermoor is a dramma tragico in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. Salvadore Cammarano wrote the Italian language libretto loosely based upon Sir Walter Scott's historical novel The Bride of Lammermoor....
, Rodolfo in Puccini's La bohème and Turiddu in Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana
Cavalleria rusticana
Cavalleria rusticana is an opera in one act by Pietro Mascagni to an Italian libretto by Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti and Guido Menasci, adapted from a play written by Giovanni Verga based on his short story. Considered one of the classic verismo operas, it premiered on May 17, 1890 at the Teatro...
. Marini ended his operatic career in 1931 after he sung the role Andrea Chénier. He died in Ascoli Piceno in 1942.
Discography
- 1928 - La bohème (Puccini) - Orchestra and Chorus of La Scala, Milan; Lorenzo Molajoli: Luigi Marini (Rodolfo)
- 1929 - Andrea Chénier (Giordano) - Orchestra and Chorus of La Scala, Milan; Lorenzo Molajoli: Luigi Marini (Andrea Chénier)