Death of rags-to-riches tenor, 87
RIPThe Italian-US tenor Lando Bartolini, who died today, had a rags trade to riches story. Unhappy working in his family’s textile factory in Prato, he moved to Philadelphia in 1966 and started taking voice lessons at the Academy of Vocal Arts.
His brother Lino’s hopes of fame as a pop singer were extinguished the following year by a fatal car accident.
Lando waited until 1973 until he landed a role at the Teatre Liceu in Barcelona. He became a member of the Sankt Gallen theatre in Switzerland, then of the New York City Opera (1976–79).
La Scala engaged him as Ernanio in January 1982 and he went on to sing in Vienna, Munich, Hamburg, Berlin, Paris and Covent Garden. In 1986 he stood in for Pavarotti in C hicao and two years later he appeared for the first time at the Met. Never a huge stgar, he was vastly popular with fellow cast members.
A truly remarkable, solid singer in the tradition of Italian verismo singing. Particularly strong in Verdi and Puccini repertoire. I was fortunate to work often with him at the beginning of my career.
It was Mr. Bartolini who, with Josephine Barstow, made the first recording of the complete Alfano ending for TURANDOT. Running more than 19 minutes, it was recorded in Glasgow in 1989 by Decca/London.
The complete, longer Alfano ending with all the brass band blaring and yelping with joy is so much more exciting than the standard version. Thankfully it’s on youtube. Listen to them side by side to see what I mean.
RIP. Heard him many times in San Francisco. Granted his crude high notes and heart-on-sleeve style (especially in “Trovatore”) were the butt of many jokes but the excitement of his singing was undeniable. Not one of the greats, but not one of the worst either.
Becoming a stgar as Ernanio in C hicao…
A Calaf opposite Dame Gwyneth Jones’ Turandot: https://youtu.be/P63eMn_a3wg?si=3-iuESHICcAmb2wP
RIP
He tried. RIP