Nino Piccaluga - Niun mi tema

Nino Piccaluga (1890-1973) was a big voiced spinto-dramatic tenor who was very much in evidence during the two decades between the two wars. Born Filippo Piccaluga in Lombardy, he briefly studied voice in Milan with celebrated Heldentenor Giuseppe Borgatti. His debut was as Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana at the Politeama Duca di Genova in La Spezia in the fall of 1918. Appearances in Parma, Ravenna, Ancona, Salerno, Faenza, Novara, and Carrara followed, with Piccaluga’s first international appearance at Cairo’s Khedivial Opera House in La Fanciulla del West in early 1920. In November, Piccaluga sang the title role in the world premiere of Pratella’s futuristic work, L’Aviatore Dro, at the Teatro Comunale di Lugo di Romagna. The following year, the tenor made his Milan debut at the Teatro dal Verme as Paolo in Zandonai’s Francesca da Rimini. Two more world premieres followed…Gallignani’s In Alto! at Trieste’s Politeama Rossetti in November of 1921 and Alfano’s La Leggenda di Sak&at the Teatro Comunale in Bologna in December. Although Zandonai and Alfano were champions of Piccaluga, Puccini was a bit harder to convince. As the La Scala premiere of his Il Trittico was approaching, the great composer expressed misgivings about Piccaluga. In a note to composer Carlo Clausetti, he states, “…a certain talent is not lacking but the raw material is not very good…for the Schicchi absolutely not.” Regardless of Puccini’s reluctance, Piccaluga sang the role of Luigi in Il Tabarro at...