Giovanni Martinelli

Giovanni Martinelli ( born October 22, 1885 in Montagnana, † February 2nd 1969 in New York ) was an Italian opera singer (tenor ). He was sometimes referred to in the opera world as the most important successor Enrico Caruso.

Martinelli was the son of a cabinet-maker and the oldest of 14 children. He learned clarinet, sang in the church choir and served in a military orchestra. His orchestra director, an officer discovered his voice and sent it for study purposes to Giuseppe Mandolini. On 2 December 1910, he sang the solo part in Gioacchino Rossini's " Stabat Mater". Because of the success was followed by his real debut on December 29, 1910 in Giuseppe Verdi's Ernani at the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan.

His first successes associated with the music publisher Ricordi, where he was Arturo Toscanini and Giacomo Puccini for his new opera " La Fanciulla del West " occupied as Dick Johnson. The European premiere of the play took place in Rome at the Teatro Costanzi.

Martinelli was more than 50 years in European and American stages, including Naples, Monte Carlo, London, Budapest and at La Scala. Over 30 years he spent at the New York Metropolitan Opera - first as a successor to Caruso's, then along with Beniamino Gigli and later alone - with a total of 650 performances. The Met renewed his contract beyond this period again and again what has since been unmatched by any other singer.

When he left this stage, he appeared occasionally and was in 1967 with 82 years his farewell debut in Seattle as Emperor Altum in Turandot. He remained particularly because of its lyrical and dramatic tenor roles in memory.