Alessio De Paolis

Background

Alessio De Paolis was born on March 5, 1893 in Rome, Italy. He was the son of Rodolfo De Paolis and Bianca Lovatti. His father was a well-to-do civil servant; his mother was a noblewoman. The family derived its substantial wealth from investments, land development, and real estate holdings.

Education

De Paolis commenced musical studies at the age of seven, and within a few years had become an accomplished violinist. In his early teens he began voice lessons at Santa Cecilia Academy in Rome, where his principal teacher was Alberto de Pietro. In 1913, he completed his secondary-school education.

Career

De Paolis enlisted in the Italian army. Because of World War I, he remained in uniform for six years, serving a portion of that time as a dirigible crew member.

In 1919, De Paolis made his professional operatic debut in Bologna as the Duke in Rigoletto. Two years later he sang the role of Fenton in Falstaff, at Arturo Toscanini's historic reopening of Milan's La Scala opera house. During the 1920s De Paolis sang leading lyric tenor roles with the major opera companies of Italy, in addition to performing in Berlin, Barcelona, Lisbon, and other European cities. He achieved his greatest success as Rodolfo in La Boheme and Alfredo in La Traviata, his two favorite roles.

About this time he began to take "character" roles. He was so successful ("It must have come naturally for me") that during the 1931-1932 opera season the management of the Teatro dell'Opera in Rome persuaded him to devote himself exclusively to key supporting (comprimario) roles.

He set out to become "the best character actor in the world. " Furthermore, as a comprimario he anticipated more operatic engagements and a prolonged professional life. De Paolis soon became a master of his craft. A detailed study of the opera libretto, together with a natural stage presence, an expressive face, and a careful attention to costume and makeup, enabled him to immerse himself in any role.

By the late 1930s De Paolis had appeared in more than 150 roles, many in seldom-performed operas or newly composed works. Especially notable were his characterizations in the premiere performances of Alfredo Casella's La Donna Serpente and La Favola d'Orfeo (1932), and Franco Alfano's Cirano di Bergerac (1936).

In the fall of 1938, De Paolis began a twenty-six-season association with the Metropolitan Opera Company. He made his debut on December 3 as Cassio in an Otello cast that starred Giovanni Martinelli and Lawrence Tibbett. Altogether, he sang forty-eight roles in 1, 192 performances of forty operas at the Met, appearing as Remandado in Carmen 112 times, as Goro in Madame Butterfly 93 times, and as Spoletta in Tosca 85 times.

During his American career De Paolis also sang with the Cincinnati Summer Opera (1948, 1952-1955), and with the San Francisco Opera (1940, 1942-1956), and in Los Angeles. In addition, during the 1930s he sang at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, as well as in Brazil, Cuba, and Mexico.

The dual facets of De Paolis' career are preserved on records. While singing leading roles in Europe, he made a number of solo disks for Polydor. Some twenty-five years later he recorded a number of his principal comprimario roles for Columbia and RCA Victor.

Achievements

• Alessio De Paolis was a noted opera singer who is perhaps best remembered for such comic roles as Alcindoro in La Boheme, the Old Prisoner in La Perichole, and Don Basilio in The Marriage of Figaro.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Giacomo Puccini: Turandot New York -- March 4, 1961; Birgit Nilsson, Franco Corelli, Anna Moffo, Bonaldo Giaiotti, Frank Guarrera, Robert Nagy, Charles Anthony, Alessio de Paolis; Leopold Stokowski

    (On Zyx Music 10061; 2 CD's; Recorded live in New York on ...)

  • Giuseppe Verdi : Otello (Metropolitan Opera 16.11.1946)
  • Giuseppe Verdi: La Traviata
  • E Lucean Le stelle (feat. Richard Tucker,Leonard Warren,Salvatore Beccaloni,Alessio De Paolis)
  • Amaro sol per te m'era Morire (feat. Richard Tucker,Leonard Warren,Salvatore Beccaloni,Alessio De Paolis)
  • Tosca (feat. Richard Tucker,Leonard Warren,Salvatore Beccaloni,Alessio De Paolis)
  • Già - Mi Dicon Venal (feat. Richard Tucker,Leonard Warren,Salvatore Beccaloni,Alessio De Paolis)
  • Il Tuo sangue o il mio amor volea (feat. Richard Tucker,Leonard Warren,Salvatore Beccaloni,Alessio De Paolis)
  • Mario! (feat. Richard Tucker,Leonard Warren,Salvatore Beccaloni,Alessio De Paolis)
  • Io de' sospir (feat. Richard Tucker,Leonard Warren,Salvatore Beccaloni,Alessio De Paolis)

Views

Quotations: "When I am on stage, I no longer realize just what I do to 'create' the part. I enter wholly into the personage. I simply forget that De Paolis ever existed. "

"Since I had never had a large voice, I had no regrets about making the transition. "

Personality

De Paolis was described as "a short, round man with a warm face and hearty laugh. " Congenial and witty, he enjoyed all forms of comedy, especially slapstick humor.

Connections

On October 3, 1930, De Paolis married Ines Maggiori Schileo, an artist and dress designer who later opened a couturier shop in New York City; they had two children.

World War II temporarily separated De Paolis from his wife and children, who were unable to obtain passage on the last ships from Italy to America. They rejoined him in 1946, the year he became a naturalized American citizen.

Father:

Rodolfo De Paolis

Mother:

Bianca (Lovatti) De Paolis

Spouse:

Ines Maggiori (Schileo) De Paolis

Friend:

Salvatore Baccaloni

the celebrated bassobuffo at the Metropolitan opera