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(1)
Soprano Lina Pacary as Venus in
Tannhäuser. She made her first appearance at the Paris Opéra on 29
May 1909 as Brünnhilde in Siegfried.
(2) French
soprano Nina Pack (1869-?) studied at the Conservatoire de Paris. She
was engaged by the Paris Opéra in 1889 where she was seen as Madeleine (Rigoletto),
Valentine (Huguenots), Scazzone (Ascanio), and Hilde (Sigurd).
She was Santuzza (Cavalleria Rusticana) and Carmen at the Salle
Favart. At the Grand Théâtre in Geneva she was seen as Sieglinde in Die
Walküre. She also performed at the Opéra-Comique.
(3) Rosetta
Pampanini (Milan: 1896 - Corbola, Rovigo: 1973): Italian soprano. Debut
(1923) Biella as Musetta in La Bohème. She sang Cio-Cio-San at La
Scala in 1925, which was the first performance of Madama Butterfly
there since the unfortunate premiere in 1904. Her career was assisted by
Arturo Toscanini. Berlin, Chicago Opera, South America, but her career was
mostly at La Scala. Never performed at the Metropolitan Opera.
(4)
This interesting
art nouveau postcard shows Italian soprano
Angelica Pandolfini
(1871-1959) as Tosca. Pandolfini sang principally in Italy and was Darclée's
successor in the role of Tosca in both Milan and Rome. In 1892 Pandolfini
created the title role in the world premiere of Cilea's Adriana
Lecouvreur. She developed quite a reputation in the verismo
repertory but her voice was beginning to show some strain when she retired
at the age of thirty-eight to be married (1909). Circa 1900.
(5) Antonio
Paoli [orig. Ermogene Imleghi Bascaran - questionable] (14 Apr 1871 - 24
Aug 1946): Puerto Rican tenor. Debut (1899) at the Paris Opéra as Arnold in
Guillaume Tell. Great successes through Italy, South America, and the
United States. Upon his retirement he received an honorary pension from his
native Puerto Rico. He had a heroic tenor voice, especially suited for the
role of Otello. [Special
thanks to Ronald Flores for providing information on Paoli: Paoli's birth
and baptismal records confirm his birthday as stated above, and call into
question the name, "Ermogene Imleghi Bascaran" as attributed to Paoli in
several source books.]
(6) Belgian
soprano Jane Pacquot (1880-1952) as Djovita in La Fiancée de la
Mer. She was married to the leading basso of the Théâtre de la Monnaie,
Pierre d'Assy, and often sang under the name Paquot-d'Assy. She was engaged
by the Monnaie for the 1900-01 season. She made her debut (1901) as Donna
Anna in Don Giovanni. This was quickly followed by a Faust
Marguerite which was reviewed in People: "Exceptionally gifted for
opera and stage, with the instincts and authority of an accomplished artist,
Mme. Paquot seemed destined to become a great lyrical tragedienne. Her
voice, having great range and dramatic timbre, became even more beautiful,
and by her hard work developed a suppleness that her very successful debut
could not fail to make evident."
(7) Graziella
Pareto (6 Mar 1889 - ?): Spanish soprano. Debut (1908) in Madrid. Sang
throughout South America, Spain, Italy, Covent Garden, Monte Carlo, Chicago
Opera, Russia, etc. Never engaged by the Metropolitan Opera. Married to
composer Gabriele Sibella. She had a beautiful and controlled coloratura
voice. [Special
thanks to Ondina Ballester for providing this additional information on
Pareto: Graziella sang with her grandfather in Chicago for three seasons.
According to the family, Graziella was actually born in Barcelona (15 May
1889) and died in Rome (1 Sep 1973). Her first husband was Gabriele Sibela;
the marriage was short-lived. On 1 Dec 1926 she married an Italian doctor,
Nando Arena.]
(8) Yugoslavian
tenor Tino Pattiera
(1890-1966) as Lorenzo in Auber's Fra
Diavolo. His first successes were in operetta before taking on the
heavier repertory. He was greatly responsible for a resurgence of interest
in Verdi's operas throughout Germany. Pattiera was a handsome man with an
exceptional voice that was sometimes compared to Caruso's.
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(9) Julius
Patzak (9 Apr 1898 - 26 Jan 1974): Austrian tenor seen here as Florestan
in Fidelio - his greatest role. Debut Reichenberg (Bohemia) (1926) as
Radames. Sang throughout the then Bohemia, Munich, Vienna, London CG,
Antwerp. Created roles in Pfitzner's Das Herz and Orff's Der Mond.
(10) German
soprano Louise Perard-Petzl as Sieglinde in Die Walküre.
(11) The role of Baron Ochs in the world
premiere was passed to German bass Karl Perron (1858-1928) after the
services of Richard Mayr could not be acquired. Although he may not have
been Strauss's first choice, Perron was evidently regarded highly enough by
him to have been chosen to create Jochanaan in his Salome and Orestes
in his Elektra. However, in correspondence between the composer and
librettist, there are indications that Strauss was considering the services
of Paul Bender just in case Perron did not work out in the role of Ochs: "In
case you and Reinhardt [the producer] do not succeed in grooming Perron for
the part, I give you full powers of veto to cancel the premiere with Perron
on the 26th. . . . [Perron] is such a first-class artist that he will
understand and share our misgivings."
(12) Aureliano
Pertile (3 Nov 1885 - 23 Jan 1952): Italian tenor. Debut Vicenza (1911)
as Lionel in Martha. Metropolitan Opera, and La Scala where he was
the premiere tenor. His world premiere roles included Boito's Nerone (1924),
Sly (1927), and Mascagni's Nerone (1935). Covent Garden, Paris Opéra,
Berlin, Brussels, Vienna, etc.
(13) Georges
Petit made his Paris Opéra debut on 15 Nov 1913 as Raphaël in Les
Joyaux de la Madone. Before that he had appeared at the Monnaie. He was
part of the Pelleas et Melisande cast (as Pelleas) during the
illustrious January 1907 performances starring Mary Garden as Melisande.
(14) Mezzo-soprano
Vera Petrova-Zvanceva
(1875-1944) in an unidentified role. She spent the duration of her career in
Russia, principally in Moscow. She was most remembered for her
interpretations of Carmen and Zazà.
(15) German lyric tenor Robert Philipp
(1852-1933) as Don José in Carmen. He began a career as an actor in
Berlin. In the 1880s he took up singing in operettas in that same city. In
1890 he made his first appearance in grand opera at the Berlin Imperial Opera
where he remained the rest of his career. He was married to soprano Marie
Dietrich.
(16) British-born
tenor Alfred Piccaver
(1883-1958) had a celebrated career, especially
beloved in Vienna where he was their principal "Italian" tenor. He had an
effortless top to his voice and a beautiful middle, qualities that Piccaver
would safeguard to compulsion. He was apt to cancel a performance if, he
thought, during the course of warming up, that his middle register was not 100
percent to his satisfaction. One critic observed, "Piccaver has already
arranged all his indispositions a year ahead."
(17) Bohemian
bass-baritone Friedrich Plaschke (1875-1951) originally wanted to be a
painter but took up singing instead. Debut (1900) as Herald in Lohengrin at
the Dresden Opera where he spent his entire career. He sang in the world
premieres of Strauss's Arabella, Salome, and Feuersnot. He was
married to soprano Eva von der Osten.
(18) Lily Pons (12 Apr 1898
[often given as 1904] - 13 Feb 1976): French coloratura soprano. Debut (1928)
Mulhouse in the title role of Lakmé, her most admired and well-known role. She
was heard in Montpellier by Giovanni Zenatello and his wife, Maria Gay. It was
on their recommendation that she came to the Metropolitan opera where she
enjoyed a 30-year career. South America, Covent Garden, Brussels, Chicago, San
Francisco, etc. Went on to have a successful film career. Had a beautiful but
light coloratura voice.
(19) Léon Ponzio: French
baritone. Performed at the Paris Opéra, South America, La Scala, and
throughout the French and Belgian provinces. Performed in grand opera and
operetta. Debut (1909). He retired in 1940.
(20)
Pol Plançon: French bass (12 Jun
1854 - 11 Aug 1914): Debut at Lyons (1877) as St. Bris in Les Huguenots.
World premiere of Le Cid. La Scala, Met, London CG, Brussels, Nice,
Paris Opéra. Seen here in Mephistopheles.
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