Italian opera singer
Raffaele Scalese
(1800?1884) was an Italian operatic
bass
who specialized in the
opera buffa
repertoire. He was active in Italy's major
opera houses
from the mid-1820s up into the 1860s. He also appeared internationally in opera houses in Austria, Portugal, and France. The last years of his career were spent performing in Paris in the late 1860s where he remained after his retirement from the stage.
Life and career
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Born in
Naples
, Scalese began performing at major Italian
opera houses
in the mid-1820s, including
La Fenice
in Venice, the
Teatro Valle
in Rome, and the
Teatro di San Carlo
in his native city. In 1827 he portrayed Alterkan in the world premiere of
Gaetano Donizetti
's
Otto mesi in due ore
at the Teatro Nuovo in Naples. In 1834 he portrayed Edmondo in the house premiere of
Luigi Ricci
's
Gli esposti
at the Teatro d'Angennes in Turin. In 1837 he sang the role of Everardo in the world premiere of
Gaetano Rossi
's
Iginia d'Asti
at the
Teatro San Benedetto
in Venice.
[1]
In 1836 Scalese made his debut at
La Scala
in Milan as Gottofredo in
Pietro Antonio Coppola
's
La festa della rosa
. He performed regularly at that house over the next five years. In 1836-1837 he portrayed Don Paparo in
Luigi Felice Rossi
's
Gli avventurieri
, Prosdocimo Ficcanaso in
Ferdinando Orlandi
's
La dama soldato
, and Taddeo in
Gioachino Rossini
's
L'italiana in Algeri
in Milan. In 1838 he was heard at La Scala as Giorgio in Rossini's
Torvaldo e Dorliska
, Marchese in Coppola's
Il Postiglione di Longjumeau
, and Tom in
Federico Ricci
's
La prigione di Edimburgo
. In 1840 he portrayed Barone di Kelbar in the world premiere of
Giuseppe Verdi
's
Un giorno di regno
, Cedrico in
Otto Nicolai
's
Il templario
, Sergeant Sulpice in the Italian premiere of Donizetti's
La fille du regiment
, and the title role in
Alessandro Speranza
's
I due Figaro
in Milan. In 1841 he sang the roles of Dr Dulcamara in
Gaetano Donizetti
's
L'elisir d'amore
and Ghiringhello in the world premiere of
Placido Mandanici
's
Il buontempone di Porta Ticinese
at La Scala. After an 8-year absence from the house, he returned to Milan in 1849 to perform the role of the Marquis de Boisfleury in Donizetti's
Linda di Chamounix
. He returned to La Scala again in 1854?1855 to sing Basilio in Rossini's
The Barber of Seville
, a role with which he was closely associated.
[2]
In 1840 Scalese was committed to the
Teatro Regio di Parma
where he performed the roles of Don Bartolo in
The Barber of Seville
, Dulcamara, Speranza's Figaro, and Rizzardo in
Vincenzo Bellini
's
Beatrice di Tenda
. He returned to Parma two years later to sing Belfiore in Donizetti's
Alina, regina di Golconda
, Dulcamara, Gennaro Malerba in Luigi Ricci's
Chi dura vince
, He also appeared at the
Teatro Comunale di Bologna
in 1842 as Belcore in
L'elisir d'amore
, Gennaro Malerba, Leporello in Luigi Ricci's
Il nuovo Figaro
, Michelotto in Luigi Ricci's
Chiara di Rosemberg
, and Volmar in
Alina, regina di Golconda
. In 1843 he sang the Marquis de Boisfleury at La Fenice. He was heard at the
Teatro della Canobbiana
in 1848-1849 as Barbarino in
Friedrich von Flotow
's
Alessandro Stradella
, Belcore, Figaro in
The Barber of Seville
, Don Giulio in Donizetti's
Don Gregorio
, Haly in Rossini's
L'italiana in Algeri
, Ricci's Leporello, and Volmar.
[1]
In 1852 Scalese performed in the world premiere of Federico Ricci's
Il marito e l'amante
at the
Theater am Karntnertor
in Vienna. He sang Don Bartolo in Bologna in 1854 and was also active at opera houses in Rome, Florence, and Venice during the 1850s. He was heard at the Teatro di San Carlo from 1858 to 1860 in a variety of roles, including parts in
Errico Petrella
's
Il folletto di Gresy
,
Serafino Amedeo De Ferrari
's
Pipelet
, and the world premiere of
Luigi Vespoli
's
La cantante
(1858). In 1861-1862 he was committed to the
Teatro Nacional de Sao Carlos
in Lisbon. He joined the
Theatre-Italien
in Paris in 1866 and remained active as a performer there up into the late 1860s. He died in Paris.
[1]
References
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