Italian Baritone Umberto Urbano ~ Occhi di fata (1929)

By request from "meltzerboy" / Italian baritone Umberto Urbano (?-1969) / Occhi di fata (Denza) / Recorded: May 23, 1929 --

The Kutsch & Riemens Concise Biographical Dictionary of Singers states Urbano was born on October 16, 1894 in Livorno, Italy, though more recent information places his birth as early as 1885. There apparently is very little known about the career of this artist. K&R continues: "About 1920 he first appeared on Italian stages, including among others, La Scala in Milan, where he sang Herald in Lohengrin. In 1927 he sang as guest at the Vienna State Opera and also appeared at Covent Garden and on South American stages. In the 1930s he sang a great deal at the National Theatre in Prague and made guest appearances in both Bratislava and Brno. One of the most beautiful baritone voices of his time, both in the rich dark timbre of his vocal material and in the deeply moving expressiveness of his voice." He died in 1969 in Rome.

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Category:

Music

Tags:

• Italian
• Baritone
• Umberto
• Urbano
• 78
• rpm
• CurzonRoad

[afra2id]

Thank you for posting this. I do not have this recording but I have a number of other recordings with Urbano. I do not know much about him. My all time favourite recording is "Bel sogno beato" from Puritani which he just creams. His recording of the aria from Chenier is also excellent. The fast vibrato and the virility and brightness of his voice make it appealing for me. Bravo Umberto! and grazie Douglasio

[CurzonRoad]

THANK YOU.... and apologies this very belated reply!

Cheers, etc.

Doug --

[Mangiare1]

Cosi si Canta! Bravo!!!!!!!

[seektheforce]

@andyrawn *dies* lol I haven't found anyone that I feel worthy of that yet....perhaps myself one distant day :).

[andyrawn]

@seektheforce:

This baritone Urbano has one of the most perfectly balanced and finished vocal productions we can imagine ~ thanks for the Intro!

And, per your question, in today's classical singing world ~ perhaps our own Renee Fleming and Mexico's Ramon Vargas.

~ ANDY

[seektheforce]

@andyrawn who on the stage today has a "finished vocal product" then?

[in15ter]

Non lo conoscevo, e devo dire che è una bella sorpresa, .. che bella voce, .. ..chissà perchè non si trovano manuali o libri con il riassunto di tutti i cantanti del passato, ..sarebbe bello cercarli e non scoprirli per caso, .. grazie ..per questo brano U

[andyrawn]

@seektheforce: Not the SOUND of the finished vocal product no, it's glorious ~ rather, the "thin" concept is a very vital focus in the PRODUCTION of the voice! ANDY

[seektheforce]

@andyrawn I don't know if I would describe his voice as thin.

[meltzerboy]

@andyrawn Andy, addiobelpassato also has some wonderful Urbano recordings of Donizetti arias, which are very appealing. His singing is wonderful and rare. Thanks again, Doug!

[CurzonRoad]

Assolutamente...  grazie molto!