Vasco Campagnano
Encyclopedia
Vasco Campagnano was an Italian operatic tenor
, particularly associated with the Italian repertory.
Born in Egypt
, to Italian parents, Campagnano studied first with Olga Righi-Mieli in Alexandria
, and appeared there in concert. He came to Italy in 1926 to further his studies with Mario Sammarco
and Elvino Ventura. He made his debut as a baritone
in 1929, as Marcello
in Bologna
. He sang in small theatres in Italy throughout the 1930s, until the war interrupted his career. Ater the war, he studied further with Luigi Bolis, and resumed his career but as a tenor, making his debut in Pavia
, as Pinkerton
, in 1946.
His career took off in 1948, when he made his debut at La Scala
in Milan, as Calaf in Turandot
. He was invited at the Teatro Nacional Sao Carlos in Lisbon, and the Liceu
in Barcelona, also making guest appearances in Zurich, Nice, Tunis, etc. In 1957, he sang Don José
at the Verona Arena
, and Radames
at the Chorégies d'Orange
, which was also his farewell role in Tel Aviv in 1959.
He made a few recordings with the Italian radio (RAI
) and later released by Cetra
, notably; Manon Lescaut
, opposite Clara Petrella
, La fanciulla del west
, opposite Carla Gavazzi
, and Aroldo
, opposite Maria Vitale
.
Vasco Campagnano died in Milan, on January 16, 1976.
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...
, particularly associated with the Italian repertory.
Born in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, to Italian parents, Campagnano studied first with Olga Righi-Mieli in Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
, and appeared there in concert. He came to Italy in 1926 to further his studies with Mario Sammarco
Mario Sammarco
Mario Sammarco was an Italian operatic baritone noted for his histrionic ability.-Biography:...
and Elvino Ventura. He made his debut as a baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
in 1929, as Marcello
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...
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,...
. He sang in small theatres in Italy throughout the 1930s, until the war interrupted his career. Ater the war, he studied further with Luigi Bolis, and resumed his career but as a tenor, making his debut in Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
, as Pinkerton
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...
, in 1946.
His career took off in 1948, when he made his debut 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...
in Milan, as Calaf in Turandot
Turandot
Turandot is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini, set to a libretto in Italian by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni.Though Puccini's first interest in the subject was based on his reading of Friedrich Schiller's adaptation of the play, his work is most nearly based on the earlier text Turandot...
. He was invited at the Teatro Nacional Sao Carlos in Lisbon, and the Liceu
Liceu
The Gran Teatre del Liceu , or simply Liceu in Catalan and Liceo in Spanish, is an opera house on La Rambla in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain...
in Barcelona, also making guest appearances in Zurich, Nice, Tunis, etc. In 1957, he sang Don José
Carmen
Carmen is a French opéra comique by Georges Bizet. The libretto is by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée, first published in 1845, itself possibly influenced by the narrative poem The Gypsies by Alexander Pushkin...
at the Verona Arena
Verona Arena
The Verona Arena is a Roman amphitheatre in Piazza Bra in Verona, Italy, which is internationally famous for the large-scale opera performances given there. It is one of the best preserved ancient structures of its kind....
, and Radames
Aida
Aida sometimes spelled Aïda, is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni, based on a scenario written by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette...
at the Chorégies d'Orange
Chorégies d'Orange
The Chorégies d'Orange is a summer opera festival held each year in August in Orange located about seventy miles northwest of Marseille in southern France...
, which was also his farewell role in Tel Aviv in 1959.
He made a few recordings with the Italian radio (RAI
RAI
RAI — Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A. known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane, is the Italian state owned public service broadcaster controlled by the Ministry of Economic Development. Rai is the biggest television company in Italy...
) and later released by Cetra
Cetra
Cetra Records was an Italian company which produced opera recordings from the 1930s onwards. Its roster of artists included Maria Callas, Renata Tebaldi, Lina Pagliughi, Ebe Stignani, Carlo Bergonzi, Galliano Masini, Giovanni Malipiero, Ferruccio Tagliavini, Carlo Tagliabue, Rolando Panerai,...
, notably; Manon Lescaut
Manon Lescaut (Puccini)
Manon Lescaut is an opera in four acts by Giacomo Puccini. The story is based on the 1731 novel L’histoire du chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut by the Abbé Prévost....
, opposite Clara Petrella
Clara Petrella
Clara Petrella was an Italian operatic soprano, particularly associated with the Italian repertory, an outstanding singing-actress nicknamed the "Duse of Singers"....
, 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...
, opposite Carla Gavazzi
Carla Gavazzi
Carla Gavazzi was an Italian operatic soprano, largely based in Italy, and particularly associated with theverismo repertory....
, and 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...
, opposite Maria Vitale
Maria Vitale
Maria Vitale was an Italian operatic soprano, particularly associated with the Italian repertory.She studied with the renowned Giannina Arangi-Lombardi in Milan. At first it was assumed that her voice was that of a coloratura soprano, however upon the recommendation of composer Riccardo...
.
Vasco Campagnano died in Milan, on January 16, 1976.