Oberon's Glade

Tag: Don Basilio

  • Bonaldo Giaiotti Has Passed Away

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    ~ Author: Oberon

    Bonaldo Giaiotti (photo above) was my favorite basso. Though he sang at a time when several wonderful bassos were to be heard at both of the houses at Lincoln Center – Tozzi, Siepi, Hines, Treigle, Ghiaurov, Raimondi, Moll, and Ramey, among others – there was something about Giaiotti’s voice that I simply loved. Even in relatively brief roles like the Commendatore in DON GIOVANNI or Monterone in RIGOLETTO, he always made a distinctive mark.

    Over a span of nearly 30 years – beginning with his Met debut as the High Priest in NABUCCO on opening night, 1960, and concluding with a performance of Don Basilio in BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA in 1989 – Giaiotti sang more than 400 performances with the Metropolitan Opera Company in New York City and on tour.

    I first saw Giaiotti onstage in what was to become one of his signature roles – Timur in TURANDOT – at the Old Met in 1965. He performed it over 50 times with The Met, and countless times worldwide. How movingly Giaiotti conveyed the character’s heartbreak:

    Bonaldo Giaiotti as Timur in Puccini’s TURANDOT

    In 1964, Giaiotti sang a magnificent Banco in Verdi’s MACBETH on a Texaco/Met broadcast.

    Bonaldo Giaiotti – Come dal ciel precipita ~ MACBETH

    Once the New Met had opened in 1966, I saw Giaiotti often in such roles as Timur, Colline in BOHEME, Ramfis in AIDA, Raimondo in LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, and King Henry in LOHENGRIN. He was particularly impressive as Alvise in LA GIOCONDA where he more than held his own amidst such powerhouse co-stars as Tebaldi, Corelli or Tucker, MacNeil, and Cossotto.

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    Roles Giaiotti sang at The Met less frequently – and in which I sadly never saw him – included Mephistopheles in FAUST, Prince Gremin in EUGENE ONEGIN, Philip II in DON CARLO, and Sarastro in ZAUBERFLOETE.

    Here are more samples of Giaiotti’s singing:

    Franco Corelli & Bonaldo Giaiotti – Nume custode e vindice ~ AIDA – Rome 1966

    LOHENGRIN – King Henry’s address & finale Act I – Bonaldo Giaiotti – w Kollo – McIntyre – Lorengar – M Dunn – Met bcast 1976

    Though not of the best sound quality, this aria from BOCCANEGRA shows the basso’s ability to bring down the house:

    BOCCANEGRA aria – Bonaldo Giaiotti – NY 1968

    Would that we had an Italian basso today of Giaiotti’s caliber and versatility.

    ~ Oberon