Leonida Bellon was born in Vicenza (Veneto) in 1905. He studied singing in Brescia with the former famous tenor Edoardo Garbin (Padova, 12
March 1865 – Brescia, 12 April 1943).
His operatic career started in Rome, about 1934. He sang in January 1936 at the Teatro San Carlo (Naples) in Mario Persico's La morenita
(three performances), with the soprano Maria Zamboni and the baritones Angelo Belmonte and Mino Cavallo.
On June 8 and 9, 1938 he sang Pinkerton in two performances of Madama Butterfly at the Teatro Modernissimo di Imola, with the soprano Iris
Adami Corradetti, mezzosoprano L. Bonaventura and baritone Mario Gubiani.
In June 1939 he sang in Rome, for the R.A.I. (then called E.I.A.R.), the role of Pedro in Anima allegra by Franco Vittadini with Iris
Adami Corradetti, Gianna Perea Labia and Giuseppina Sani.
In September 1939 he sang in Turin, also for the R.A.I., the role of Troilo in Medusa by Bruno Barilli wih Cloe Elmo, Giuseppe Manacchini
and Luciano Neroni.
Next year, in October 1940, he sang again for the R.A.I. in Turin, the role of Marino in Orseolo by Ildebrando Pizzetti with Maria
Carbone, Piero Biasini, Ettore Parmeggiani and Tancredi Pasero.
He made his debut at La Scala, in Milan in February 1945 with Andrea Chénier with Iolanda Magnoni and Carlo Tagliabue, the conductor was
Gino Marinuzzi (the performances took place at the Teatro Lirico in Milan since the Scala building was destroyed).
He sang on April 7, 8, 9, 10 1945 at the Teatro Verdi in Parma, Andrea Chénier with Mercedes Fortunati and Renata Tebaldi (April 10),
Scipio Colombo and conductor Renzo Martini.
In February 1948 he was engaged directly in Italy by the Caprino Sisters Opera Company to sing in Mexico.
He sang in Mexico City and Guadalajara, the following operas:
Ciudad de México – Palacio de las Bellas Artes
Tosca: Rita Caprino, Carlo Morelli; Guido Picco (February 7)
La bohème: Flori Caprino, Rosa Caprino, Carlo Morelli, Humberto Pazos; Guido Picco (February 10)
La traviata: Mina Caprino, Carlo Morelli; Guido Picco (February 12)
Aida: Flori Caprino, Rita Caprino, Carlo Morelli, Ignacio Ruffino, Francisco Alonso; Guido Picco (February 17)
Guadalajara – Teatro Degollado
La bohème: Irma González, ángeles Navarro, Carlo Morelli, Ignacio Ruffino, Gilberto Cerda; Umberto Mugnai (April 24)
Rigoletto: Rayén Quitral, Concha de los Santos, Carlo Morelli, Ignacio Ruffino; Umberto Mugnai (April 25; May 3)
Madama Butterfly: Irma González, Concha de los Santos, Carlo Morelli, Ignacio Ruffino; Umberto Mugnai (April 27)
Lucia di Lammermoor: Rayén Quitral, Carlo Morelli, Alfonso Pedroza; Umberto Mugnai (April 29)
In 1948 he sang at the Teatro Comunale in Adria.
In January 1949 he sang again at the Teatro San Carlo di Napoli sharing with Beniamino Gigli the role of des Grieux in Manon Lescaut,
with Maria Caniglia, Saturno Meletti and Fernando Corena. Gigli sang the two first performances on January 2 and 4, and Bellon the next
two on January 6 and 8.
On 22 January 1949 he sang Aida at the Teatro Regio in Parma, with Anita Corridori, Irma Colosanti, Otello Borselini, Bruno Sbalchiero
and conductor Giuseppe Del Campo. He sang at the Teatro dell'Opera in Rome, three performances of Andrea Chénier (February 13, 19, 27,
1949) with Franca Sacchi and Benvenuto Franci, conductor Antonio Guarnieri and two performances of La fanciulla del West (March 9 and 13,
1949) with Elisabetta Barbato and Raffaele De Falchi. The conductor was Oliviero De Fabritiis.
His career developed mainly in Italy (those were the war years) and his repertoire increased as he sang La bohème and Cavalleria
rusticana in Messina, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor in Piacenza and Andrea Chénier (Teatro Nazionale, in Milan). Other operas in his
repertoire included Il trovatore, Il piccolo Marat, Manon Lescaut, Turandot and Pagliacci.
His last performances seem to have been in late fifties as Andrea Chénier at the Teatro Municipale in Reggio Emilia. However, there
are evidences of a concert in 1964 at the Teatro Comunale in Adria.
In 1967/1968 he was in Caracas (Venezuela) teaching singing. He gave two recitals in that city, at the Ateneo and at the Universidad de
Venezuela.
He taught singing in Via Goldoni 77, in Milan during the '70s.
He entered the Casa di Riposo per Musicisti Fondazione Giuseppe Verdi, in Milan, and participated in 1984 in the film Il bacio di Tosca
(Tosca's kiss) with the soprano Sara Scuderi and the baritone Giuseppe Manacchini. Here he still showed his powerful instrument and characteristic
vocal smalto and squillo of the true lirico spinto tenor that he was.
He died in 1987.
Juan Dzazópulos, April 2012
My gratitude to Mr. Oscar Mago Bendahán (from Caracas, Venezuela) who revised and corrected, adding important information to above biography).
