Cesare Formichi

Cesare Formichi (15 April 1883, Rome - 21 July 1949, Rome) was a prominent Italian operatic baritone, particularly associated with the Italian repertory.

Formichi studied in Rome with Pio Di Pietro and in Firenze with Vincenzo Lombardi, and made his debut in December 1907 at the Teatro Olimpia in Bologna as Lescaut in Manon. He went on to appear in Italy's leading opera houses, including La Scala in Milan. Soon, he was accepting a string of engagements to sing outside Italy, notably in Saint Petersburg (in 1912), Buenos Aires (in 1914), Paris (in 1922), Monte-Carlo, Vienna, and London (in 1924).

He sang as first baritone at the Chicago Opera from 1922 until 1932. He sang in Berlin in October 1933 with the Italian opera conducted by Ettore Panizza. He went with a troupe of singers from La Scala on a tour of France in 1935, and later organized opera seasons in London.

Notable roles of his included Ashton, Rigoletto, di Luna, Amonasro, Iago, and some Wagner parts sung in Italian (Klingsor, for example). Formichi possessed a big, rich-toned, important sounding voice which can be heard on the numerous acoustic and electrical recordings which he made during the peak of his career. Many of these recordings have been re-released on CD.

Birth and Death Data: Born April 15, 1883 (Rome), Died July 21, 1949 (Rome)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1904 - 1927

Roles Represented in DAHR: baritone vocal

Notes: Listed on some Columbia disc labels as Secare Formichi or S. Formichi.

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 84 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia 98119 12-in. 2/5/1924 Nemico della patria Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 98120 12-in. 2/5/1924 Credo Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 11167 10-in. approximately 1908 to 1914 Di Provenza il mar il suol Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 11169 10-in. approximately 1908 to 1914 Il balen del suo sorriso Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 11174 10-in. approximately 1908 to 1914 O monumento Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 11175 10-in. approximately 1908 to 1914 Prologo Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 11176 10-in. approximately 1908 to 1914 Dio possente dio d'amore Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 11177 10-in. approximately 1908 to 1914 O tu bell'astro Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 11195 10-in. approximately 1908 to 1914 O de' verd'anni miei Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 11196 10-in. approximately 1908 to 1914 Alla vita che t'arride Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 11198 10-in. approximately 1908 to 1914 Quest' assisa Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 11210 10-in. approximately 1908 to 1914 Sei cosí bella Cesare Formichi Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 11286 10-in. between 1903 and 1914 Minnie, dalla mia casa Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 11288 10-in. approximately 1908 to 1914 Miei signori Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 11289 10-in. approximately 1908 to 1914 Il credo Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 11290 10-in. approximately 1908 to 1914 Quando ero paggio Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 11291 10-in. approximately 1908 to 1914 Brindisi Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 11292 10-in. approximately 1908 to 1914 Come il romito fior Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 11295 10-in. approximately 1908 to 1914 Piangi fanciulla Maria Alessandrovitch ; Cesare Formichi Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 11296 10-in. approximately 1908 to 1914 Se vendetta Maria Alessandrovitch ; Cesare Formichi Vocal duet (soprano and baritone), with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 11297 10-in. approximately 1908 to 1914 Lassù in ciel Maria Alessandrovitch ; Cesare Formichi Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 11298 10-in. approximately 1908 to 1914 Rivedrai le foreste imbalsamate Teresina Chelotti ; Cesare Formichi Vocal duet (soprano and baritone), with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 11299 10-in. approximately 1908 to 1914 In armi ora si desta il popol nostro Teresina Chelotti ; Cesare Formichi Vocal duet (soprano and baritone), with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 11300 10-in. approximately 1908 to 1914 Mira d'acerbe lagrime Teresina Chelotti ; Cesare Formichi Vocal duet (soprano and baritone), with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 11301 10-in. between 1903 and 1914 Mira d'acerbe lagrime Teresina Chelotti ; Cesare Formichi Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
(Results 1-25 of 84 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Formichi, Cesare," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104309.

Formichi, Cesare. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104309.

"Formichi, Cesare." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104309

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