Giuseppe Giacomini
Encyclopedia
Giuseppe Giacomini is an Italian dramatic tenor
. An impressive tenor voice thanks of its richness and power. Known as "Bepi" amongst his fans, recently celebrated his 40th anniversary of singing.
) and Des Grieux (Manon Lescaut
) in Parma and Modena.
His first engagement outside Italy was in 1970 in Berlin, where he portrayed the lead tenor role of Des Grieux in Manon Lescaut. He went on to star in Il tabarro in Lisbon (1971), Tosca in Barcelona (1972) and Vienna (1973), and then at the Staatsoper in München in 1973.
In 1974 made his American debut in Buenos Aires
at the Teatro Colón as Pinkerton and Il tabarro. Giacomini returned to Italy to tremendous acclaim at the top houses - La Scala
(Forza del Destino, 1974; La Bohème, 1975), Teatro San Carlo, Teatro Reggio, Opera di Roma, and the Teatro Reggio. He also appeared in 1975 in less prestigious Mantova in Fedora.
Giacomini made his North American debut as Ramerrez in La fanciulla del West
in Connecticut, 1975, making his Metropolitan Opera
debut the year afterwards in La forza del destino.
This performance earned him several more contracts with the house in the big Italian repertory: Macbeth, Don Carlo, Il trovatore, Pagliacci and Tosca in the next few years. It was only after this success that he made his first Covent Garden appearance in 1980 (Fanciulla del West).
Particular performances of note include his participation in the world premiere of Marco Tutino's La Lupa in Livorno in 1990 where he sang the role of Nanni, and his Des Grieux at the hundred-anniversary of the premiere of Puccini's Manon Lescaut at the Teatro Reggio di Torino. He also sang for the Royal Family at the Covent Garden in 1988 and Gorbachev in Moscow, took part in the historical staging of Aida set against the pyramids of Cairo in 1987 and was Calaf in Seoul on occasion of the opening of the Olympic Games in 1988. He is also credited with the revival of rare operas as Donizetti's Fausta (Roma, 1981) and Leoncavallo's Medici (Frankfurt, 1993).
Among his prizes and honour count the title Kammersänger of the Staatsoper in Wien, the Gold Viotti, the Giovanni Zenatello Prize, the C.A.Capelli Prize, the Gold Mascagni and the Giovanni Martinelli Prize. He is also Commendatore of the Ordine di San Gregorio Magno, an Vatican order of knighthood.
Despite his enormous career and truly extraordinary voice, Giacomini never achieved widespread fame in the opera world. Though he was rumored to have retired in 2000, he has continued to make concert appearances around the world and appeared effectively as Cavaradossi in Tosca at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden when past his 60th birthday.
Giacomini gave his China tour in 2010, where he worked with the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Mr. Muhai Tang. He gave a recital in the newly built Tianjin Concert Hall on September 17, 2010.
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...
. An impressive tenor voice thanks of its richness and power. Known as "Bepi" amongst his fans, recently celebrated his 40th anniversary of singing.
Training and Career
Giacomini began his vocal career studying with Elena Ceriati, Marcello del Monaco and Vladimiro Badiali. After some success with song competitions around Italy, he made his professional debut in 1966 in Vercelli, as Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly. In 1969 he performed as Turiddu (Cavalleria rusticanaCavalleria 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...
) and Des Grieux (Manon Lescaut
Manon Lescaut
Manon Lescaut is a short novel by French author Abbé Prévost. Published in 1731, it is the seventh and final volume of Mémoires et aventures d'un homme de qualité . It was controversial in its time and was banned in France upon publication...
) in Parma and Modena.
His first engagement outside Italy was in 1970 in Berlin, where he portrayed the lead tenor role of Des Grieux in Manon Lescaut. He went on to star in Il tabarro in Lisbon (1971), Tosca in Barcelona (1972) and Vienna (1973), and then at the Staatsoper in München in 1973.
In 1974 made his American debut in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
at the Teatro Colón as Pinkerton and Il tabarro. Giacomini returned to Italy to tremendous acclaim at the top houses - 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...
(Forza del Destino, 1974; La Bohème, 1975), Teatro San Carlo, Teatro Reggio, Opera di Roma, and the Teatro Reggio. He also appeared in 1975 in less prestigious Mantova in Fedora.
Giacomini made his North American debut as Ramerrez in La fanciulla del West
La fanciulla del West
La fanciulla del West is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Guelfo Civinini and Carlo Zangarini, based on the play The Girl of the Golden West by the American author David Belasco. Its highly-publicised premiere occurred in New York City in 1910...
in Connecticut, 1975, making his Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
debut the year afterwards in La forza del destino.
This performance earned him several more contracts with the house in the big Italian repertory: Macbeth, Don Carlo, Il trovatore, Pagliacci and Tosca in the next few years. It was only after this success that he made his first Covent Garden appearance in 1980 (Fanciulla del West).
Particular performances of note include his participation in the world premiere of Marco Tutino's La Lupa in Livorno in 1990 where he sang the role of Nanni, and his Des Grieux at the hundred-anniversary of the premiere of Puccini's Manon Lescaut at the Teatro Reggio di Torino. He also sang for the Royal Family at the Covent Garden in 1988 and Gorbachev in Moscow, took part in the historical staging of Aida set against the pyramids of Cairo in 1987 and was Calaf in Seoul on occasion of the opening of the Olympic Games in 1988. He is also credited with the revival of rare operas as Donizetti's Fausta (Roma, 1981) and Leoncavallo's Medici (Frankfurt, 1993).
Among his prizes and honour count the title Kammersänger of the Staatsoper in Wien, the Gold Viotti, the Giovanni Zenatello Prize, the C.A.Capelli Prize, the Gold Mascagni and the Giovanni Martinelli Prize. He is also Commendatore of the Ordine di San Gregorio Magno, an Vatican order of knighthood.
Despite his enormous career and truly extraordinary voice, Giacomini never achieved widespread fame in the opera world. Though he was rumored to have retired in 2000, he has continued to make concert appearances around the world and appeared effectively as Cavaradossi in Tosca at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden when past his 60th birthday.
Giacomini gave his China tour in 2010, where he worked with the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Mr. Muhai Tang. He gave a recital in the newly built Tianjin Concert Hall on September 17, 2010.