Miguel Fleta
Miguel Burro Fleta (28 December 1897, in Albalate de Cinca, Province of Huesca, Aragon – 29 May 1938, in A Coruña) was a Spanish operatic lyric tenor. Despite his short stage career, lasting from 1919 to 1935, Fleta has been described as one of the most significant Iberian opera singers of the 20th century. Among the important international venues at which he sang were La Scala, Milan, (in 1923-26) and the New York Metropolitan Opera (in 1923-25). Additionally, in 1926, he had the honour of creating the role of Calaf in Puccini's posthumously-premiered final opera, Turandot, at the insistence of La Scala's principal conductor, Arturo Toscanini. But this taxing dramatic role took him to the limit of his resources and he did not attempt it again. Fleta made his operatic debut in Trieste in 1919, having previously studied voice at the Madrid conservatory. Successful engagements in Rome followed, leading to his La Scala and Met debuts. He quit the Met in acrimonious circumstances, however, and the resultant legal action stopped him performing again in the United States. He was celebrated during his best years for the finesse with which he used his rich, flexible voice. The most notable aspect of his performance style was the nimbleness of his bel canto technique. This enabled him to produce spectacular messa di voce and pianissimo effects. Unfortunately, Fleta's singing became increasingly self-indulgent as his career progressed. By the late 1920s, as recordings show, his voice had deteriorated badly, with his vibrato loosening to an undesirable extent. Fleta died in straitened circumstances in 1938. He nonetheless left a legacy of sometimes fascinating records, many of which are available on CD reissues. |
Birth and Death Data: Born January 1, 1897 (Albalate de Cinca), Died May 29, 1938 (A Coruña)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1922 - 1933
Roles Represented in DAHR: tenor vocal
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 26-35 of 35 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gramophone | BS1249 | 10-in. | 4/5/1924 | La fematera | Miguel Fleta | Tenor vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | BS1250 | 10-in. | 4/5/1924 | Jota | Miguel Fleta | Tenor vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | Cs1674 | 12-in. | 4/15/1924 | Flor roja | Miguel Fleta | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | Cs1675 | 12-in. | 4/16/1924 | Mujer fatal | Miguel Fleta | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | CJ2155 | 12-in. | 5/5/1929 | Himno a la Exposición de Sevilla | Miguel Fleta | Male vocal solo, with vocal and instrumental ensembles | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | BJ2304 | 10-in. | 6/21/1929 | Te quiero | Miguel Fleta | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | BJ2311 | 10-in. | 6/22/1929 | E lucevan le stelle | Miguel Fleta | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | Bb2843 | 10-in. | 4/17/1923 | A te, o cara, amore talora | Miguel Fleta | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | Bb2844 | 10-in. | 4/17/1923 | La donna è mobile | Miguel Fleta | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Gramophone | Cc2858 | 12-in. | 4/19/1923 | Henchido de amor santo | Miguel Fleta | Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Fleta, Miguel," accessed April 23, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105084.
Fleta, Miguel. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 23, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105084.
"Fleta, Miguel." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 23 April 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Miguel Fleta
Discogs: Miguel Fleta
Grove: Miguel Fleta
IMDb: Miguel Fleta
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Fleta, Miguel, 1897-1938 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n85265471
Wikidata: Miguel Fleta - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q727853
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/87668482
MusicBrainz: Miguel Fleta - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/3c613682-b5d9-44ce-898c-387a312762b6
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