Lorenzo Simonetti
1867 Palma de Mallorca – 1941 Madrid
Born Llorenç Simó i Tomàs, he studied voice in Madrid and had a short but good career (1894–1901) in opera and
primarily in zarzuela. He appeared mostly in Catalonia, but also in Madrid (Teatro de la Zarzuela, Teatro Circo), Valladolid, Oviedo,
Lisbon, Havana and Puerto Rico. He sang in two important world premieres: Lázaro in Tomás Bretón's opera La Dolores
(Teatro de la Zarzuela, 16 March 1895), and Ruperto Chapí's zarzuela Curro Vargas (Teatro Circo, 10 December 1898).
His operatic repertory included Raoul, Elvino, Duca, Alfredo, Canio and Don José.
After retiring, he lived as a voice teacher in Madrid, and also ran his own opera company in Zaragoza in 1921 (unsuccessfully).
Reference 1, reference 2: Forgotten Opera Singers
Picture source: Arxiu nacional de Catalunya
Discography
Viuda de Aramburo cylinders, Madrid
Hugens y Acosta cylinders, Madrid, 1899 or 1900
Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Vesti la giubba
Whether any copy of these cylinders has survived to this day is doubtful.
I wish to thank Carlos Martin for the Viuda de Aramburo scan.
Additional source for the discography: Gesellschaft für historische Tonträger, Wien
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