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Florencio Constantino

Florencio Constantino (April 9, 1869 – November 19, 1919) was a Spanish operatic tenor who had an active international performance career from 1892 through 1917. He was particularly admired for his performances in the operas of Giuseppe Verdi and Vincenzo Bellini; with the roles of the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto and Arturo in I puritani being signature roles for the tenor.

Raised primarily in Argentina, Constantino began his career performing in opera houses in South America from 1892-1897 before traveling to Spain to pursue vocal training with Leopoldo Stiatesi. From 1898-1900 he appeared in leading roles in opera houses in Italy, Spain, Germany, Poland, and Russia and then resumed performing in opera houses in South America during the first years of the 20th century. He returned to Europe for a tour of Spain and Germany in 1903-1904 and then became a resident artist at the Theater des Westens in Berlin in 1904-1905.

In 1905 Constantino was committed to the Royal Opera House in London before joining English impresario Henry Russell's touring San Carlo Opera Company; a company with whom he toured the United States in 1906-1907. In 1908 he joined Oscar Hammerstein I's Manhattan Opera Company and in 1909 he became the principal tenor of the newly created Boston Opera Company; a company with whom he performed until it closed in 1915. In 1910 he made his debut with the Metropolitan Opera.

After the closing of the Boston Opera Company, Constantino moved to Los Angeles where he served as the Artistic Director of the California Grand Opera Company in 1916. In 1917 a disastrous appearance at the Saint Louis Opera led to a highly publicized lawsuit against Constantino. He left the United States for Mexico City where he suffered a mental breakdown and died at a hospital for the destitute in 1919.

Birth and Death Data: Born April 9, 1869 (Ortuella), Died November 19, 1919 (Mexico City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1907 - 1925

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 1-25 of 98 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor B-4521 10-in. 5/22/1907 La donna è mobile Florencio Constantino Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor B-4522 10-in. 5/22/1907 Questa o quella Florencio Constantino Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor C-4523 12-in. 5/22/1907 Una furtiva lagrima Florencio Constantino Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor B-4524 10-in. 5/22/1907 Cielo e mar Florencio Constantino Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor C-4525 12-in. 5/22/1907 Dei miei bollente spiriti Florencio Constantino ; Victor Orchestra Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor C-4535 12-in. 5/28/1907 Ecco ridente Florencio Constantino Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor C-4536 12-in. 5/28/1907 Mefistofele : Epilogo Florencio Constantino ; Victor Orchestra Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor C-4538 12-in. 5/28/1907 O bell' alma innamorata Florencio Constantino Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor C-4540 12-in. 5/28/1907 Mi par d'udir ancora Florencio Constantino Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor C-4546 12-in. 5/29/1907 O paradiso Florencio Constantino Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor C-4547 12-in. 5/29/1907 È il sol dell' anima Florencio Constantino ; Alice Nielsen Vocal duet (soprano and tenor), with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor C-4550 12-in. 5/31/1907 Verrano a te sull'aure Florencio Constantino ; Alice Nielsen Vocal duet (soprano and tenor), with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor C-4551 12-in. 5/31/1907 Parigi o cara Florencio Constantino ; Alice Nielsen Vocal duet (soprano and tenor), with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor C-4552 12-in. 5/31/1907 Dammi ancor Florencio Constantino ; Alice Nielsen Vocal duet (soprano and tenor), with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor C-6125 12-in. 4/21/1908 Salve dimora Florencio Constantino Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor C-6127 12-in. 4/21/1908 Ah! fuyez, douce image Florencio Constantino Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor B-6134 10-in. 4/22/1908 Una vergine Florencio Constantino Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor C-6135 12-in. 4/22/1908 Ange adorable Florencio Constantino ; Alice Nielsen ; Victor Orchestra Vocal duet (soprano and tenor), with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor B-6136 10-in. 4/22/1908 Ah! Ne fuis pas encore Florencio Constantino ; Alice Nielsen Vocal duet (soprano and tenor), with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor C-6137 12-in. 4/22/1908 M'apparì Florencio Constantino Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor C-6138 12-in. 4/22/1908 Racconto di Rodolfo Florencio Constantino Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor C-6147 12-in. 4/23/1908 Ama Florencio Constantino Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor C-6149 12-in. 4/23/1908 Un dì felice Florencio Constantino ; Alice Nielsen Vocal duet (soprano and tenor), with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 4043 10-in. approximately 1909 La milonga Florencio Constantino Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 4044 10-in. ca. Jan.-June 1909 La donna è mobile Florencio Constantino Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
(Results 1-25 of 98 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Constantino, Florencio," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105181.

Constantino, Florencio. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105181.

"Constantino, Florencio." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105181

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