Cesare Valletti (18 December 1922 – 13 May 2000) was an Italian operatic
tenor
A tenor is a type of male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. Composers typically write music for this voice in the range from the second B below m ...
, one of the leading
tenore di grazia of the postwar era.
Valletti was born in Rome, where he studied music. He also studied privately with
Tito Schipa. He made his debut in Bari, as Alfredo in ''
La traviata'', in 1947. He came to prominence in 1950, when he sang in ''
Il turco in Italia
''Il turco in Italia'' ( English: ''The Turk in Italy'') is an opera buffa in two acts by Gioachino Rossini. The Italian-language libretto was written by Felice Romani. It was a re-working of a libretto by Caterino Mazzolà set as an opera (with ...
'', opposite
Maria Callas
Maria Callas (born Maria Anna Cecilia Sophia Kalogeropoulos; December 2, 1923 – September 16, 1977) was an American-born Greek soprano and one of the most renowned and influential opera singers of the 20th century. Many critics praised ...
, in Rome. In the same year he made his debut at
La Scala
La Scala (, , ; officially , ) is a historic opera house in Milan, Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as (, which previously was Santa Maria della Scala, Milan, a church). The premiere performa ...
in Milan, singing Fenton in ''
Falstaff
Sir John Falstaff is a fictional character who appears in three plays by William Shakespeare and is eulogised in a fourth. His significance as a fully developed character is primarily formed in the plays ''Henry IV, Part 1'' and '' Part 2'', w ...
'', a role he reprised when the company took the production to
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 sit ...
later that year.
In 1951, Valletti went to Mexico City to sing ''La traviata'' with Maria Callas. He also partnered her in the famous
Visconti production of ''
La sonnambula
''La sonnambula'' (; ''The Sleepwalker'') is an opera semiseria in two acts, with music in the ''bel canto'' tradition by Vincenzo Bellini set to an Italian libretto by Felice Romani, based on a scenario for a ''ballet-pantomime'' written by Eu ...
'', conducted by
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein ( ; born Louis Bernstein; August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, pianist, music educator, author, and humanitarian. Considered to be one of the most important conductors of his time, he was th ...
, at La Scala in 1955, and again in ''La traviata'' at Covent Garden in 1958.
In September 1953, he made his American debut at the
San Francisco Opera
The San Francisco Opera (SFO) is an American opera company founded in 1923 by Gaetano Merola (1881–1953) based in San Francisco, California.
History
Gaetano Merola (1923–1953)
Merola's road to prominence in the Bay Area began in 1906 wh ...
in the title role of ''
Werther
''Werther'' is an opera (''drame lyrique'') in four acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Édouard Blau, Paul Milliet and Georges Hartmann (who used the pseudonym Henri Grémont). It is loosely based on Goethe's epistolary novel ''The S ...
'', opposite
Giulietta Simionato as Charlotte, and later that same year, in December, he debuted at the
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an American opera company based in New York City, currently resident at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Referred ...
in New York, singing Don Ottavio in ''
Don Giovanni
''Don Giovanni'' (; K. 527; full title: , literally ''The Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni'') is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. Its subject is a centuries-old Spanish legen ...
''. Other roles at the Met included
Tamino,
Almaviva,
Nemorino,
Ernesto,
Alfredo
Alfredo (, ) is a cognate of the Anglo-Saxons, Anglo-Saxon name Alfred (name), Alfred and a common Italian language, Italian, Galician language, Galician, Portuguese language, Portuguese and Spanish language personal name.
Given name
Artists a ...
, and
des Grieux. His career at the Met ended abruptly in November 1960 when manager
Rudolf Bing
Sir Rudolf Bing, KBE (January 9, 1902 – September 2, 1997) was an Austrian-born British opera impresario who worked in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, including as General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City f ...
replaced Valletti, for no apparent reason, after dress rehearsal in a new production of ''
L'elisir d'amore
''L'elisir d'amore'' (; ''The Elixir of Love'') is a (comic melodrama, opera buffa) in two acts by the Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti. Felice Romani wrote the Italian libretto, after Eugène Scribe's libretto for Daniel Auber's (1831). ...
''. Valletti left the Met and thereafter refused numerous offers to return.
In the 1960s Valletti returned to Italy, where he was particularly popular at the
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino (literal English translation: 'Florence Musical May') is an annual Italian arts festival in Florence, including a notable opera festival, under the auspices of the Opera di Firenze. The festival occurs between late A ...
in Florence. He extended his range to
art song
An art song is a Western world, Western vocal music Musical composition, composition, usually written for one voice with piano accompaniment, and usually in the classical music, classical art music tradition. By extension, the term "art song" is ...
, and became a highly respected recitalist. Valletti officially retired in 1967, but returned in 1968 to appear at the
Caramoor Festival in New York. There he sang his last role, Nerone in
Monteverdi's ''
L'incoronazione di Poppea
''L'incoronazione di Poppea'' (Stattkus-Verzeichnis, SV 308, ''The Coronation of Poppaea'') is an Italian List of operas by Claudio Monteverdi, opera by Claudio Monteverdi. It was Monteverdi's last opera, with a libretto by Giovanni Francesco Buse ...
''.
After retirement he flourished in a new career in his father-in-law's pasta machine making business. Valletti was married to Nicoletta Braibanti, a granddaughter of Italian composer
Ildebrando Pizzetti
Ildebrando Pizzetti (20 September 1880 – 13 February 1968) was an Italian composer of classical music, as well as a musicologist and a music critic.
Biography
Pizzetti was born in Parma in 1880. He was part of the "Generation of 1880" alon ...
.
In May, 2000, Valletti died of a heart attack in Genoa, Italy, while undergoing treatment for liver cancer.
He can be heard on "live recordings" in the two aforementioned historical performances of ''La sonnambula'' and ''La traviata'' with Maria Callas. Valletti can also be heard in a best-selling
RCA Victor
RCA Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside Columbia Records (its former longtime rival), Arista Records and Epic ...
recording of ''
Madama Butterfly
''Madama Butterfly'' (; ''Madame Butterfly'') is an opera in three acts (originally two) by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa.
It is based on the short story " Madame Butterfly" (1898) by John Lu ...
'' which paired him with
Anna Moffo
Anna Moffo (June 27, 1932 – March 9, 2006) was an American opera singer, television personality, and actress. One of the leading lyric-coloratura sopranos of her generation, she possessed a warm and radiant voice of considerable range and agili ...
.
Selected studio recordings
*
Cimarosa - ''
Il matrimonio segreto
' (''The Secret Marriage'') is a dramma giocoso in two acts, music by Domenico Cimarosa, on a libretto by Giovanni Bertati, based on the 1766 play '' The Clandestine Marriage'' by George Colman the Elder and David Garrick. It was first performed ...
'' -
Alda Noni, Ornella Rovero, Giulietta Simionato,
Sesto Bruscantini
Sesto Bruscantini (10 December 1919 – 4 May 2003) was an Italian baritone, one of the greatest buffo singers of the post-war era, especially renowned in Mozart and Rossini.
Biography and career
Bruscantini was born in Civitanova Marche, M ...
, Antonio Cassinelli - Orchestra of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino,
Manno Wolf-Ferrari (1950, Florence)
*
Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...
- ''
Don Giovanni
''Don Giovanni'' (; K. 527; full title: , literally ''The Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni'') is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. Its subject is a centuries-old Spanish legen ...
'' -
Giuseppe Taddei,
Italo Tajo,
Mary Curtis Verna,
Carla Gavazzi, Elda Ribetti, Vito Susca - Coro e Orchestra della Rai Torino,
Max Rudolf (1953, Turin)
*
Rossini
Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. He gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano p ...
- ''
L'italiana in Algeri
''L'italiana in Algeri'' (; ''The Italian Girl in Algiers'') is an operatic ''dramma giocoso'' in two acts by Gioachino Rossini to an Italian libretto by Angelo Anelli, based on his earlier text set by Luigi Mosca. It premiered at the Teatro San ...
'' - Giulietta Simionato,
Graziella Sciutti,
Mario Petri, Marcello Cortis - La Scala Chorus and Orchestra,
Carlo Maria Giulini (1954, Milan)
* Rossini - ''
Il barbiere di Siviglia
''The Barber of Seville, or The Useless Precaution'' ( ) is an ''opera buffa'' (comic opera) in two acts composed by Gioachino Rossini with an Italian libretto by Cesare Sterbini. The libretto was based on Pierre Beaumarchais's French comedy '' ...
'' -
Robert Merrill,
Roberta Peters,
Fernando Corena,
Giorgio Tozzi - Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra,
Erich Leinsdorf
Erich Leinsdorf (born Erich Landauer; February 4, 1912 – September 11, 1993) was an Austrian-born American conductor. He performed and recorded with leading orchestras and opera companies throughout the United States and Europe, earning a ...
(1958, New York)
* Rossini - ''
La cenerentola
("Cinderella, or Goodness Triumphant") is an operatic in two acts by Gioachino Rossini. The libretto was written by Jacopo Ferretti, based on the libretti written by Charles-Guillaume Étienne for the opera '' Cendrillon'' with music by Nico ...
'' - Giulietta Simionato,
Saturno Meletti, Cristiano Dalamangas - Coro e Orchestra della Rai Torino,
Mario Rossi (1949, Turin)
*
Donizetti
Domenico Gaetano Maria Donizetti (29 November 1797 – 8 April 1848) was an Italian Romantic composer, best known for his almost 70 operas. Along with Gioachino Rossini and Vincenzo Bellini, he was a leading composer of the ''bel canto'' opera ...
- ''
L'elisir d'amore
''L'elisir d'amore'' (; ''The Elixir of Love'') is a (comic melodrama, opera buffa) in two acts by the Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti. Felice Romani wrote the Italian libretto, after Eugène Scribe's libretto for Daniel Auber's (1831). ...
'' - Alda Noni,
Afro Poli, Sesto Bruscantini - Coro e Orchestra della Rai Roma,
Gianandrea Gavazzeni (1952, Rome)
* Verdi - Maria Callas and Mario Zanasi, the "London Traviatta director Nicola Rescigno and Covent Garden Orchestra (1958, London)
* Donizetti - ''
La fille du régiment
LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second most populous city in the United States of America.
La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music
* La (musical note), or A, the sixth note
*"L.A.", a song by Elliott Smi ...
'' -
Lina Pagliughi, Sesto Bruscantini,
Rina Corsi - Coro e Orchestra della Rai Milano, Mario Rossi (sung in Italian) (1950, Turin)
* Donizetti - ''
Don Pasquale
''Don Pasquale'' () is a Gaetano Donizetti opera buffa, or comic opera, in three acts, with an Italian libretto completed largely by Giovanni Ruffini as well as the composer. It was based on a libretto by Angelo Anelli for Stefano Pavesi's oper ...
'' - Alda Noni, Mario Borriello, Sesto Bruscantini - Coro e Orchestra della Rai Torino, Mario Rossi (1949, Turin)
*
Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi ( ; ; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto, a small town in the province of Parma, to a family of moderate means, recei ...
- ''
La traviata'' -
Rosanna Carteri
Rosanna Carteri (14 December 193025 October 2020) was an Italian soprano, primarily active from the 1950s through the mid 1960s. After her debut in Rome at age 19 as Elsa in Wagner's ''Lohengrin (opera), Lohengrin'', she appeared in leading role ...
,
Leonard Warren - Rome Opera Chorus and Orchestra,
Pierre Monteux
Pierre Benjamin Monteux (; 4 April 18751 July 1964) was a French (later American) conductor. After violin and viola studies, and a decade as an orchestral player and occasional conductor, he began to receive regular conducting engagements in 1 ...
(1956, Rome)
*
Puccini
Giacomo Puccini (22 December 1858 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long line of composers, s ...
- ''
Madama Butterfly
''Madama Butterfly'' (; ''Madame Butterfly'') is an opera in three acts (originally two) by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa.
It is based on the short story " Madame Butterfly" (1898) by John Lu ...
'' -
Anna Moffo
Anna Moffo (June 27, 1932 – March 9, 2006) was an American opera singer, television personality, and actress. One of the leading lyric-coloratura sopranos of her generation, she possessed a warm and radiant voice of considerable range and agili ...
,
Rosalind Elias
Rosalind Elias (March 13, 1930 – May 3, 2020) was an American mezzo-soprano who enjoyed a long and distinguished career at the Metropolitan Opera. She was best known for creating the role of Erika in Samuel Barber's '' Vanessa in'' 1958.
Early ...
, Renato Cesari - Rome Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Erich Leinsdorf (1957), Rome
*
Schumann
Robert Schumann (; ; 8 June 181029 July 1856) was a German composer, pianist, and music critic of the early Romantic music, Romantic era. He composed in all the main musical genres of the time, writing for solo piano, voice and piano, chamber ...
- ''
Dichterliebe "Poet's Love", Op.48'' -
Leo Taubman, piano (1960)
Sources
* ''Opera News'', Obituaries, August 2000.
* ''The Metropolitan Opera Guide to Recorded Opera'', edited by Paul Gruber, (W.W. Norton, 1993)
External links
History of the Tenor / Cesare Valletti / Sound Clips and Narration*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Valletti, Cesare
1922 births
2000 deaths
20th-century Italian male opera singers
Italian operatic tenors
Singers from Rome