Saturno Meletti
Encyclopedia
Saturno Meletti was an Italian operatic bass-baritone
particularly associated with the standard Italian repertory and contemporary works.
Meletti began his career in his native city as Escamillo
, in 1929, later appearing in several small theatres throughout Italy.
He made his debut at the Rome Opera in 1932, and sang there until 1976. He then appeared at the Teatro Comunale in Bologna
, the Teatro Regio Parma, the San Carlo
in Naples, the Teatro Massimo
in Palermo, the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
in Florence, and La Scala
in Milan, etc. He also made guest appearances in Germany, Switzerland, Egypt, and South America.
He took part in many creations, notably Gian Francesco Malipiero
's Antonio e Cleopatra (Florence,1938), Ildebrando Pizzetti
's Vanna Lupa (Rome, 1947), Adriano Lualdi
's La Luna di Cairibi (Milan, 1953), Renzo Rossellini's La Guerra (Naples, 1956).
He can be heard on several recordings with Cetra
notably as Melitone in La forza del destino
, under Gino Marinuzzi
, and as David in L'amico Fritz
, under Pietro Mascagni
, but also in La cenerentola
, Falstaff
, Manon Lescaut
, Adriana Lecouvreur
.
Bass-baritone
A bass-baritone is a high-lying bass or low-lying "classical" baritone voice type which shares certain qualities with the true baritone voice. The term arose in the late 19th century to describe the particular type of voice required to sing three Wagnerian roles: the Dutchman in Der fliegende...
particularly associated with the standard Italian repertory and contemporary works.
Meletti began his career in his native city as Escamillo
Carmen
Carmen is a French opéra comique by Georges Bizet. The libretto is by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée, first published in 1845, itself possibly influenced by the narrative poem The Gypsies by Alexander Pushkin...
, in 1929, later appearing in several small theatres throughout Italy.
He made his debut at the Rome Opera in 1932, and sang there until 1976. He then appeared at the Teatro Comunale in Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
, the Teatro Regio Parma, the San Carlo
San Carlo
San Carlo is the Italian for Saint Charles, and may refer to:* Charles Borromeo, also known as San Carlo Borromeo* San Carlo all'Arena, a neighbourhood in Naples where the Bourbon Hospice for the Poor is located...
in Naples, the Teatro Massimo
Teatro Massimo
The Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele is an opera house and opera company located on the Piazza Verdi in Palermo, Sicily. It was dedicated to King Victor Emanuel II....
in Palermo, the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino is an annual opera festival which was founded in April 1933 by conductor Vittorio Gui with the aim of presenting contemporary and forgotten operas in visually dramatic productions. It was the first music festival in Italy. The first opera presented was Verdi's early...
in Florence, and La Scala
La Scala
La Scala , is a world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala...
in Milan, etc. He also made guest appearances in Germany, Switzerland, Egypt, and South America.
He took part in many creations, notably Gian Francesco Malipiero
Gian Francesco Malipiero
Gian Francesco Malipiero was an Italian composer, musicologist, music teacher and editor.-Early years:Born in Venice into an aristocratic family, the grandson of the opera composer Francesco Malipiero, Gian Francesco Malipiero was prevented by family troubles from pursuing his musical education in...
's Antonio e Cleopatra (Florence,1938), Ildebrando Pizzetti
Ildebrando Pizzetti
Ildebrando Pizzetti was an Italian composer of classical music.- Biography :Pizzetti was born in Parma in 1880. He was part of the "Generation of 1880" along with Ottorino Respighi and Gian Francesco Malipiero. They were among the first Italian composers in some time whose primary contributions...
's Vanna Lupa (Rome, 1947), Adriano Lualdi
Adriano Lualdi
Adriano Lualdi Italian composer and conductor.Lualdi was one of those artists in Italy whose reputation was subsequently diminished because of his early and continued avid support of Benito Mussolini and Italian fascism....
's La Luna di Cairibi (Milan, 1953), Renzo Rossellini's La Guerra (Naples, 1956).
He can be heard on several recordings with Cetra
Cetra
Cetra Records was an Italian company which produced opera recordings from the 1930s onwards. Its roster of artists included Maria Callas, Renata Tebaldi, Lina Pagliughi, Ebe Stignani, Carlo Bergonzi, Galliano Masini, Giovanni Malipiero, Ferruccio Tagliavini, Carlo Tagliabue, Rolando Panerai,...
notably as Melitone in La forza del destino
La forza del destino
La forza del destino is an Italian opera by Giuseppe Verdi. The libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on a Spanish drama, Don Álvaro o la fuerza del sino , by Ángel de Saavedra, Duke of Rivas, with a scene adapted from Friedrich Schiller's Wallensteins Lager. It was first performed...
, under Gino Marinuzzi
Gino Marinuzzi
Gino Marinuzzi was an Italian conductor and composer, particularly associated with Wagner and the Italian repertory....
, and as David in L'amico Fritz
L'amico Fritz
L'amico Fritz is an opera in three acts by Pietro Mascagni, premiered in 1891 from a libretto by P. Suardon , based on the French novel L'ami Fritz by Émile Erckmann and Pierre-Alexandre Chatrian.While the opera enjoyed some success in its day and is probably Mascagni's most famous work after...
, under Pietro Mascagni
Pietro Mascagni
Pietro Antonio Stefano Mascagni was an Italian composer most noted for his operas. His 1890 masterpiece Cavalleria rusticana caused one of the greatest sensations in opera history and single-handedly ushered in the Verismo movement in Italian dramatic music...
, but also in La cenerentola
La Cenerentola
La Cenerentola, ossia La bontà in trionfo is an operatic dramma giocoso in two acts by Gioachino Rossini. The libretto was written by Jacopo Ferretti, based on the fairy tale Cinderella...
, Falstaff
Falstaff (opera)
Falstaff is an operatic commedia lirica in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi, adapted by Arrigo Boito from Shakespeare's plays The Merry Wives of Windsor and scenes from Henry IV. It was Verdi's last opera, written in the composer's ninth decade, and only the second of his 26 operas to be a comedy...
, Manon Lescaut
Manon Lescaut (Puccini)
Manon Lescaut is an opera in four acts by Giacomo Puccini. The story is based on the 1731 novel L’histoire du chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut by the Abbé Prévost....
, Adriana Lecouvreur
Adriana Lecouvreur
Adriana Lecouvreur is an opera in four acts by Francesco Cilea to an Italian libretto by Arturo Colautti, based on the play by Eugène Scribe and Ernest Legouvé...
.