He was born in
Corfù, but raised by his banker father in Alexandria. He studied law at the
Paris Sorbonne before finally turning to singing. He took vocal lessons from M.
Foà in Milan. He made his Debut in 1906 at the Teatro Verdi in Firenze as Canio
in ‘’Pagliacci’’. Already in 1907 he appeared at La Scala in ‘’La Wally’’ under
Arturo Toscanini. In 1908 he sang again at La Scala, this time as Don Alvaro in
‘’La forza del destino’’ and came back in 1913 to sing
Otello. In 1914 he repeated the role of Otello at the Teatro Regio in Parma. In
1908 he guested at the Teatro Comunale in Bologna as Radames in ‘’Aida’’, then
at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo. In 1912 he appeared in Chicago as Radames in
‘’Aida’’, performing also ni ‘’I Gioielli della Madonna’’ and ‘’Pagliacci’’. In
1913 he sang at the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa in the Italian première of ‘’
I Gioielli della Madonna ‘’. In 1914 he made guest appearance at the Teatro
Liceo in Barcelona, in 1915 at the Teatro Real in Madrid as Otello. In 1914 he
sang at La Scala in the premiere of A. Smareglia’s opera ‘’Abisso’’. In 1916 he
again appeared at La Scala in G. Spontini’s opera ‘’ Fernando Cortez’’. He sang
his favorite role Otello also in 1915 at the Teatro Costanzi in Roma and at the
Teatro San Carlo in Napoli. Temporarily he appeared in 1917 as baritone: as
Tonio in ‘’Pagliacci’’ at the Teatro Costanzi in Roma and as Gérard in ‘’Andrea
Chénier’’, however, returned soon again to his tenor repertoire. In the 1922-23
season at the Teatro San Carlo in Napoli he appeared as Tristan in Wagner’s
opera ‘’ Tristano e Isotta’’. 1923 at the Teatro Donizetti in Bergamo he
sang the part of Siegfried in the première there of R. Wagner's opera. In 1923
at the Teatro Comunale in Bologna he appeared in ‘’Walkiria’’. He stopped with
Siegfried at Parma 1929 retiring to Alexandria. Calleja was the first to sing
Otello at La Scala since Tamagno 26 years before!.
Chronology of some appearances
1908 Ferrara Teatro Comunale Siberia (Vassili)
1908 Palermo Teatro Massimo Ballo in maschera (Riccardo)
1910 Bari Teatro Petruzzelli Ballo in maschera (Riccardo)
1910 Firenze Teatro Verdi Loreley (Walter)
1911 Genova Teatro Carlo Felice Germania (Federico)
1912 Chicago Civic Opera House Pagliacci (Canio)
1912 Philadelphia Teatro Metropolitan Pagliacci (Canio)
1913 Milano Teatro La Scala Otello (Otello)
1914 Madrid Teatro Reale Norma (Pollione)
1914 Parma Teatro Regio Otello (Otello)
1915 Brescia Teatro Grande Otello (Otello)
1915 Barcellona Teatro Liceo Otello (Otello)
1916 Napoli Teatro San Carlo Otello (Otello)
1917 Roma Teatro Costanzi Otello (Otello)
1917 Brescia Teatro Sociale Pagliacci (Canio)
1919 Catania Teatro Bellini Otello (Otello)
1921 Reggio Emilia Teatro Municipale Tristano e Isotta (Tristano)
1922 Firenze Politeama Fiorentino Tristano e Isotta (Tristano)
1923 Napoli Teatro San Carlo Otello (Otello)
1923 Bergamo Teatro Donizetti Tristano e Isotta (Tristano)
1923 La Valletta/Malta Teatro Reale Otello (Otello)
1924 Trieste Teatro Verdi Tristano e Isotta (Tristano)
RECORDINGS FOR SALE
Fonotipia, Milano 1909-07-02
Aida
(Verdi): Gran Concertato Finale Atto II with Armida Parsi-Pettinella, Lina
Pasini-Vitale, Antonio Magini-Coletti, Ferruccio Corradetti and Oreste Luppi 69022 XXXPh 4036
Fonotipia, Milano 1909-10-30
Otello
(Verdi): Ora e per sempre addio 92674 XPh 4124
Fonotipia, Milano 1910-10-10
Aida
(Verdi): Di Napata Le gole with Domenico Viglione Borghese, Ester Mazzoleni and
Laura del
Lungo 92673 XPh 4366
Pagliacci (Leoncavallo):
No Pagliaccio non son S 59 41922
Fanciulla
del West (Puccini): Let her believe D9710 91920
Fanciulla del West (Puccini): My father died D9710 91923
Fanciulla del West (Puccini): Or son sei mesi D9345 42188
MOLTO BELLO!!! Thank you for sharing this Wonderful Biographical notes.
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