Jill Beniamino

Beniamino Gigli (Gigli) (1890-1957) - Italian tenor, one of the outstanding masters of bel canto. He studied at the Academy of Santa Cecilia in Rome (1911-1914) and Antonio Cotonou and Enrico Rosati. Winner of International Competition for Singers in Parma (1914). In the same year made his debut in Rovigo in the party Enzo (La Gioconda "Ponchielli). Early in his career played in Genoa, Bologna, Palermo, Naples, Rome (Manon Lescaut, "" Tosca, "" Favorite "). In 1918 he was invited by Arturo Toscanini made his debut at La Scala in the party Faust (Mephistopheles "Boito). In 1919 with great success singing in the theater "Colon" party Gennaro in Lucrezia Borgia Donizetti. From 1920 to 1932 served in the Metropolitan Opera (his debut as Faust in the "Mephisto"). Since 1930, has spoken at Covent Garden. He sang Radames in the first season of the festival in the Baths of Caracalla (1937). In 1940 was made in the rarely performed opera "Polyeuctus Donizetti (La Scala).

Gigli Glory brought the execution of lyrical tenor parts. Among the best - Nemorino in "love potion", Cavaradossi in Tosca, Andrea Chenier in the opera Giordano. Only the second half of the 1930's Gigli began performing in some dramatic roles: Radames (1937), Manrico (1939). In his book of memoirs Gigli specifically pointed out that the strict selection of repertoire, suited to his vocal data, led to such a long and successful career, which ended only in 1955. The singer appeared in films ( "Giuseppe Verdi", 1938; "Pagliacci," 1943; "You, my happiness," "Voice in your heart" and others). Author's memoirs (1943). Among the records of the Party Radames (conducted by Serafin, EMI), Rudolf (conductor Y. Berrettoni, Nimbus), Turridu (conducted by, Nimbus).