Marco Bordogni


Giulio Marco Bordogni, usually called just Marco Bordogni, was an Italian operatic tenor and singing teacher of great popularity and success, whose mature career was based in Paris.

Biography

Bordogni was born in Gazzaniga, near Bergamo, Italy. He was a product of the Bergamo tenor school which originated with Giacomo David and Gaetano Crivelli, and in which can be counted, in addition to David's two best pupils, and besides Bordogni himself, also Domenico Donzelli and Giovanni Battista Rubini.
Bordogni made his operatic debut in Novara in 1808 without initially meeting with much success. In 1813 he distinguished himself as a performer of the role of Argirio in Rossini's Tancredi at the Ferrara revival with a tragic ending and at the inauguration of the Teatro Re in Milan, and became later very active in promoting that composer's music. He appeared in many of Rossini's operas on their first presentation in various towns and theatres, mainly performing the roles originally sung by Giovanni David. In 1825 he created the role of Conte di Libenskof in Rossini's Il viaggio a Reims. He sang for many years at the Théâtre des Italiens in Paris. He became a in teacher at the Paris Conservatoire in 1823 and continued to teach there until shortly before his death, which occurred in Paris.
He was the author of a published singing method, and composed many sets of vocalises which remained in use for singers for a century afterwards. He was probably the most influential teacher of the English tenor Sims Reeves, who went to him in 1843: other students include Sophie Cruvelli and Giovanni Matteo Mario.
Bordogni was awarded the Légion d'Honneur on 10 May 1839 by M. de Gasparin, at the same time that it was awarded to the Director of the Opéra Duponchel, and to the composer Hector Berlioz, who wrote that Bordogni was the best singing-master of that period.
His daughter Louise Bordogni sang successfully in New York City in 1834.

Town or theatre first performances of Rossini operas

The following list comprises town or theatre first performances of Rossini operas in which Marco Bordogni appeared. From this list one can recognize the singer's considerable virtuosity, ranging between his traditional baritonal tenor roles, and the leading tenore contraltino parts written by Rossini in tragic, serio-comic and comic operas.
In addition to the Rossini roles, Bordogni also gave first performances at the Théâtre-Italien in Paër’s Agnese di Fitz-Henry in 1819; in Mayr’s Medea in Corinto in 1823; in Mercadante’s Elisa e Claudio ossia L'amore protetto dall'amicizia ; and in Vaccai’s Giulietta e Romeo in 1827.
RôleOpera’s titleTheatreTownFirst performance’s date
ArgirioTancrediTeatro Re Milan18 December 1813
ArgirioTancrediReal Teatro San CarloNaples14 April 1818
duca BertrandoL'inganno fortunato Salle Louvois du Théâtre-ItalienParis13 May 1819
NarcisoIl turco in ItaliaSalle Louvois du Théâtre-ItalienParis23 May 1820
JagoOtello ossia Il moro di VeneziaSalle Louvois du Théâtre-ItalienParis5 June 1821
GiannettoLa gazza ladraSalle Louvois du Théâtre-ItalienParis18 September 1821
LeicesterElisabetta, regina d'InghilterraSalle Louvois du Théâtre-ItalienParis10 March 1822
ArgirioTancrediSalle Louvois du Théâtre-ItalienParis23 April 1822
RamiroLa Cenerentola ossia La bontà in trionfoSalle Louvois du Théâtre-ItalienParis8 June 1822
OsirideMosè in EgittoSalle Louvois du Théâtre-ItalienParis20 October 1822
Giacomo V-UbertoLa donna del lagoThéâtre de l'Académie Royale de MusiqueParis7 September 1824
LiebenskofIl viaggio a Reims Salle Louvois du Théâtre-ItalienParis19 June 1825
IdrenoSemiramideSalle Louvois du Théâtre-ItalienParis8 December 1825
AntenoreZelmiraSalle Louvois du Théâtre-ItalienParis14 March 1826
AlmavivaLe barbier de Séville ou La précaution inutile Théâtre de l'Académie Royale de MusiqueParis14 January 1828

Legacy

In 1928, the "Melodious Études for Trombone" were published in New York. These études were arranged by Joannès Rochut, then principal trombonist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The études had been transcribed directly from Bordogni's "Vocalises". Since then, the "Vocalises" have been transcribed for many instruments and are a standard method of study for many music students.