Giuseppe Bentonelli
10 September 1898 Sayre, Oklahoma – 4 April 1975
His real name was Joseph Hodirece Benton. At first, he studied medicine, subsequently moved to
Chicago in order to study at the local musical college, and then to
Italy for further study in Milan with Vittorio Vanza. He made his debut in 1928 at the Duse in
Bologna in Traviata. He came back to the USA in 1934 and continued his career
until 1960, singing in the most important houses. In his last year, he undertook
a long recital tour. After retiring, he taught singing.
In RA format
Chronology of his activity in Italy
1928 Bologna/T.Duse Traviata (Alfredo)
1928 Genova/Politeama Genovese Traviata (Alfredo)
1929 Mantova/T.Sociale Manon (des Grieux)
1929 Modena/T.Municipale Bohème (Rodolfo)
1929 Parma/Politeama Reinach Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)
1931 Bari/T.Petruzzelli Faust (Faust)
1931 Bari/T.Petruzzelli Bohème (Rodolfo)
1931 Cairo/King's Theater Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)
1931 Cairo/King's Theater Bohème (Rodolfo)
1931 Cairo/King's Theater Rigoletto (Duca di Mantova)
1931 Cairo/King's Theater Anima allegra di F. Vittadini
1931 Pavia/T.Fraschini Lucia di Lammermoor (Edgardo)
1931 Ravenna/T.Alighieri Bohème (Rodolfo)
1932 Asti/T.Alfieri Manon Lescaut (des Grieux)
1932 Bolzano/T.Civico Turandot (Calaf)
1932 Cesena/T.Comunale Andrea Chénier (Chénier)
1932 Padova/T.Verdi Faust (Faust)
1932 Torino/Italian Radio Season Bohème (Rodolfo)
1932 Vercelli/T.Civico Tosca (Cavaradossi)
1933 Bari/T.Petruzzelli Tosca (Cavaradossi)
1933 Cagliari/T.Civico Andrea Chénier (Chénier)
1933 Catania/T.Bellini Adriana Lecouvreur (Maurizio)
1933 Catania/T.Bellini Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)
1933 Genova/Politeama Genovese Gioconda (Enzo)
1933 Novara/T.Coccia Bohème (Rodolfo)
1933 Holland Tour
1933 Palermo/T.Massimo Adriana Lecouvreur (Maurizio)
1933 Piacenza/T.Municipale Andrea Chénier (Chénier)
1933 Venezia/T.Fenice Wally (Hagenbach)
1933 Vicenza/T.Verdi Turandot (Calaf)
1934 Piacenza/T.Municipale Tosca (Cavaradossi)
1934 Roma/T.Costanzi Andrea Chénier (Chénier)
1934 Roma/T.Costanzi Cecilia di L. Refice (Valeriano)
Discography
COLUMBIA RECORD
Wbx 913 Bohème: Che gelida manina
Wbx 914 Barbiere di Siviglia: Ecco ridente in cielo
Wb 4174 Martha: M'apparì
Wb 4176 Werther: Perché tremar?
I would like to thank Roberto Marcocci for the biographical and discographical information.
Reference: Joseph Benton: "Oklahoma tenor: Musical memories of Giuseppe Bentonelli"
University of Oklahoma Press, 1973
I would like to thank Juan Dzazópulos for several corrections and addenda.
I wish to thank Ross Halper for the recording.
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