MARIO BASIOLA "signor baritono" by Maurizio Tiberi

Edizione del Timaclub, Rome 2018, 400 pp

For a long time the only book available on Basiola was the worthy effort by Daniele Rubboli (Mario Basiola, il signore dell'opera year 2011 click here) ; yet this book is practically unfindable nowadays. So this new and praiseworthy effort by Maurizio Tiberi is more than welcome;

Mario Basiola (1892 - 1965) sang his first concert in 1917 and performed until 1951 (last opera performance Rigoletto) when Parkinson’s disease made an end to it. Basiola had a career of 35 years including more than 60 roles. He appeared all over the world including North (not South!) America (thanks to Fortunato Gallo), Egypt, Australia, Cuba, Poland and several West and South European countries including my own Flanders.

Basiola was the possessor of a warm, rich baritone voice of considerable power and extended range with an all-round easy vocal production all evidence of his excellent training. He is a sympathetic and authorative Sharpless in the Dal Monte/Gigli Butterfly displaying his fine and resonant baritone and his firm Tonio in the Gigli/Pacetti Pagliacci draws admiration as well.
While Basiola was born in a period which boasted a wealth of baritone talent including Galeffi, Franci, Borgioli, Inghilleri and Tagliabue to name but a few there isn’t one single baritone today of the same talent regrettably also including his native Italy.

Like in all his other books Tiberi provides numerous and rare fine photographs. The chronology is as detailed and as complete as can be so is the repertory list. Bravo singor Tiberi!!

Here's the performance card on Basiola's career compiled by the late Charles Jahant