Giovanni Breviario

27 November 1891 Bergamo – 8 October 1982 Bergamo

Picture of Giovanni Breviario as Manrico

After vocal studies with several teachers in Milano, he made his debut in 1924 in Pula (Croatia) as Manrico. He spent a few years in the Croatian and Italian provinces, in Malta and North Africa, before coming to the Netherlands in 1927, where he was considerably more successful than at home, and regularly returned until 1934, and again in 1938. Over time, he arrived at larger theaters also in Italy: Carlo Felice in Genova, San Carlo in Naples, Regio in Parma, La Fenice in Venice, Petruzzelli in Bari, and in 1948 even at La Scala, for one single performance as Pollione. Since he had a stentorian, poignant voice, he was often engaged for open-air opera (Arena di Verona, Anfiteatro Gangi in Catania, open air opera in Szeged). He also sang in Budapest, Zürich and Lisbon, and in the 1930s on the Italian radio EIAR (Aida, Cavalleria rusticana).

He gave up his career in 1949, became a voice teacher at the conservatory in Johannesburg, and finally spent his old age in his native sBergamo. His most successful role was Otello.

Reference 1: Kutsch & Riemens, reference 2

Giovanni Breviario sings

Otello: Niun mi tema

In RA format

Giovanni Breviario sings

Cavalleria rusticana: O Lola

In RA format

I wish to thank Ashot Arakelyan for the recording (Otello).

I wish to thank Thomas Silverbörg for the recording (Cavalleria)

Repertory
Il trovatore – Pula, Ciscutti, 25 October 1924
Ernani – Zadar, 1925
Aida – Pula, 8? March 1926
Norma – Riva del Garda, 1926
Carmen – Malta/Tripoli tour, December 1926/early 1927
Cavalleria rusticana – Malta/Tripoli tour, December 1926/early 1927
Edith Chavell (composer: Vassallo) – Malta/Tripoli tour, December 1926/early 1927
Pagliacci – Malta/Tripoli tour, December 1926/early 1927
Tosca – Malta/Tripoli tour, December 1926/early 1927
La Gioconda – Malta/Tripoli tour, December 1926/early 1927
Onesta (composer: Massa) – Genova, Carlo Felice, March 1929
La forza del destino – Bolzano, May 1929
Les huguenots – Holland tour, October 1930 – March 1931
Otello – Holland tour, October 1931 – February 1932
Andrea Chénier – Holland tour, October 1932 – March 1933
La fanciulla del West – Malta, end 1938/early 1939
I vespri siciliani – Malta, end 1938/early 1939
Turandot – Szeged, open air, August 1938

Discography
HMV, Milano, April/May 1929 & March/April 1930
Complete Cavalleria rusticana with Sanzio, Pantaleone, Biasini, De Franco, Sabajno  C 1973-81

Cetra, Torino, March to September 1937
Complete Norma with Cigna, Stignani, Pasero, Perris, Renzi, Gui			    CB 20010-27
2-70021 Otello: Niun mi tema        						    CB 20298, PE 62
2-70024 Pagliacci: Vesti la giubba  						    CB 20298, PE 61

Reference: The Record Collector, Volume 37, No. 2, April/May/June 1992.

I wish to thank Helmut Krautschneider for the picture (Manrico).

Go Home