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Cesare Formichi

Cesare Formichi (15 April 1883 in Rome – 21 July 1949 in 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 Rome (capital and largest city of Italy), Died July 21, 1949 (Rome (capital and largest city of Italy) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1913 - 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 76-98 of 98 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia 74790 12-in. 1916 M'odi ritorna a casa Vincenzo Bettoni ; G. Caiani ; Ines Maria Ferraris ; Cesare Formichi ; Lorenzo Molajoli ; Giuseppe Taccani ; Teatro alla Scala Coro ; Teatro alla Scala Orchestra Vocal quintet, with orchestra and chorus vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 74791 12-in. 1916 Partite? Crudele! G. Caiani ; Cesare Formichi ; Lorenzo Molajoli ; Giuseppe Taccani ; Teatro alla Scala Coro ; Teatro alla Scala Orchestra Vocal trio, with orchestra and chorus vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 74793 12-in. 1916 Gualtier maldè Ines Maria Ferraris ; Cesare Formichi ; Lorenzo Molajoli ; Teatro alla Scala Orchestra Vocal duet (soprano and baritone), with chorus and orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 74794 12-in. 1916 Zitti zitti Ines Maria Ferraris ; Cesare Formichi ; Lorenzo Molajoli ; Teatro alla Scala Coro ; Teatro alla Scala Orchestra Vocal duet (soprano and baritone), with chorus and orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 74795 12-in. 1916 Larà, Larà Luigi Baldassare ; G. Caiani ; Cesare Formichi ; Lorenzo Molajoli ; Teatro alla Scala Coro ; Teatro alla Scala Orchestra Vocal trio (soprano and 2 baritones), with vocal chorus vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 74796 12-in. 1916 Mio padre Ines Maria Ferraris ; Cesare Formichi ; Lorenzo Molajoli ; Teatro alla Scala Coro ; Teatro alla Scala Orchestra Vocal duet (soprano and baritone), with chorus and orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 74797 12-in. 1916 Compiuto pur quanto Ines Maria Ferraris ; Cesare Formichi ; Lorenzo Molajoli ; Teatro alla Scala Orchestra Vocal duet (soprano and baritone), with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 74842 12-in. 11/23/1921 Si pel ciel Tino Borelli ; Cesare Formichi Vocal duet (tenor and baritone), with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 74843 12-in. 11/24/1921 O monumento Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia (U.K.) A892 10-in. between May 1923 and October 1925 Voilà donc la terrible cité Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia (U.K.) A893 10-in. between May 1923 and October 1925 Hélas, enfant encore Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia (U.K.) A895 10-in. between May 1923 and October 1925 Légende de la sauge Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia (U.K.) A896 10-in. between May 1923 and October 1925 Maudite à jamais Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia (U.K.) A940 10-in. between May 1923 and October 1925 Ella verra Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia (U.K.) A941 10-in. between May 1923 and October 1925 Gia! mi dicon venal Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia (U.K.) A942 10-in. between May 1923 and September 1925 Di Provenza il mar Cesare Formichi ; Hamilton Harty Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia (U.K.) A947 10-in. between May 1923 and October 1925 Prologue Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia (U.K.) A948 10-in. between May 1923 and October 1925 Prologue Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia (U.K.) A960 10-in. between May 1923 and September 1925 Signor? Va, non ho niente Fernando Autori ; Cesare Formichi ; Hamilton Harty Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia (U.K.) WAX2744 12-in. either April or May 1927 Te deum Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo, with vocal chorus vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia (U.K.) WAX2747 12-in. either April or May 1927 Oasis and finale, 3rd act Cesare Formichi ; Grace Holst Vocal duet (soprano and baritone) vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia (U.K.) WA6121 10-in. either August or September 1927 D'une prison Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia (U.K.) WA6122 10-in. either August or September 1927 Obstination Cesare Formichi Baritone vocal solo vocalist, baritone vocal  
(Results 76-98 of 98 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Formichi, Cesare," accessed January 7, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104309.

Formichi, Cesare. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 7, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104309.

"Formichi, Cesare." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 7 January 2026.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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