Stanislaw Berini - Che gelida manina (Emerson, 1919)

The life and career of tenor Stanislaw Berini presents a series of frustrating mysteries. Much of the mystery came from Berini himself, making research even more difficult. The tenor claimed to have been born Italy…or Poland…or Russia. At times, he explained that his mother was Russian, and his father was Italian, hence the Slavic/Italo name. He also gave assorted birthyears…1876, 1877, 1880, 1882, 1885, and assorted names...Stassio, Stanislao, Stanislaus. However, an examination of his early career strongly suggests that he was born Joseph Birnzweig to a Jewish family in Warsaw on June 10, 1872. Early promise as a singer led to studies with the choirmaster of the local synagogue and a scholarship to the Music School of University of Warsaw. In 1889, the 17 year old Berini was heard by famed musicologist Aleksander Poliński, who predicted a bright future for the young singer. On March 5, 1892, he won praise for his performance of arias from Żeleński’s Goplana when the opera was previewed at Warsaw’s Grand Theatre. Later that same year, Berini, not yet 20, made his official stage debut (also at the Grand Theatre) in the role of Hans in Moniusko’s Beata. Little else is known of Berini’s European career. He was living and singing (still as Joseph Birnzweig) in Breslau in 1900, and worked with the Stadttheater of Reichenberg, Bohemia (as Stanislaus Berini), during the 1902/03 season. There is no record of what roles he sang there, but it’s interesting to note that he also directed the company’s chorus.
Berini began working at the Metropolitan Opera in October of 1903. It was claimed that he and Enrico Caruso came to the company as stars after studying and singing together in Italy during the 1890s. This makes for a terrific story, but it is a complete fabrication. The two never studied together, they never sang in the same theaters, and they didn’t come to America together. They DID, however, both sing at the Met…although Berini spent his tenure there in the chorus. Regardless of the truth, it looked good in a press release, and Berini used it for all it was worth as he looked for singing work in the U.S.
Although relegated to the Met’s chorus, Berini busied himself elsewhere as a solo artist. He sang with Boston’s Castle Square Opera Company, played art student Anthony in the U.S. tour of Trilby, sang in the opera quartet of the tour of Channing Pollock’s The Pit, and even did a stint as 2nd Tenor of the popular group The Colonial Four. In 1906, he married musical comedy star Louise Tozier, whom he met while touring with the Savage English Opera Company. They created an act called “Fifteen Minutes of Opera”, which toured vaudeville in 1910-11. The Berinis eventually settled in Florida, where they worked as voice teachers until their marriage ended in the mid-1920s.
Berini remained busy during the 1920s and ‘30s. His elegant bearing and witty repartee made him a popular after dinner entertainer with music clubs around the country, and he even assisted Yossele Rosenblatt during the celebrated cantor’s New York concerts. In 1928, Berini settled in Phoenix, where he opened a successful voice studio. He also taught briefly at Denver University but left due to the high altitude. In 1935, the aging tenor married Helen Schmidt, a socialite some 20 years his junior. Sadly, Berini’s bride fell ill a few months after the wedding and passed away in early 1936. Devastated by the loss of his wife, Berini made only a few more appearances before retiring from public life in 1937. He continued to deteriorate both physically and mentally and was eventually admitted to a Phoenix nursing home. Following a long battle with dementia, Stanislaw Berini passed away on March 12, 1943.
In the history of tenors, Stanislaw Berini was an interesting character…and something of an enigma. Parsifal, Faust, Roméo, Canio, Almaviva, Turiddu and the Duke were listed among his repertoire in major European theaters...but there's no evidence of his having sung any of these roles. He was neither famous nor a world class singer. He was, however, a resourceful entertainer, who built a career by promoting himself (with liberal doses of exaggeration) as an artist of impressive pedigree. His uncanny ability to transform himself into whatever the public wanted him to be saw him embraced by different ethnic communities as a fellow Pole, Russian, German or Jew. He was welcomed as an esteemed Italian tenor in parts of the U.S. that were, perhaps, not terribly familiar with Italian tenors. All in all, Berini was a fine journeyman artist who maintained a remarkably busy career for over 40 years. Berini’s records, made for Emerson, Vocalion, Victor and Columbia between 1918 and 1922, show a very musical and artistic singer, though the lack of top notes frequently makes transposition necessary. Here, Berini sings an abbreviated version of “Che gelida manina” (omitting the high C) from Puccini’s La Bohème. This was recorded in New York for Emerson in 1919.

[@Yfuyhj]

thankyou

[@alejandraclaudiametti5839]

Hermosa versión.!!

[@michaelvaccaro3129]

This is absolutely beautiful singing! Except for the last phrases.

[@nellymedina3625]

Me gustó muy antigua😮

[@deadtenorssociety2973]

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