USA: THE ENRIQUE CARUSO MUSEUM WITNESSES A SURGE OF INTEREST IN THE TENOR

Record ID: 770820

  • Title: USA: THE ENRIQUE CARUSO MUSEUM WITNESSES A SURGE OF INTEREST IN THE TENOR
  • Date: 17th April 2002
  • Summary: PAN OF MEMORABILIA IN CARUSO MUSEUM CARUSO RECORDS ON THE WALL (SOUNDBITE) (English) TAORMINA SAYING "Caruso really great, great tenor. He was a sound (IMITATES CARUSO SINGING STYLE).."This more round."
  • Embargoed: 2nd May 2002 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, USA / UNIDENTIFIED LOCATIONS
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Entertainment,Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA9BFAVMGZV85JTZY090AHU50XH
  • Story Text: A museum specializing in the life and music of Enrique Caruso has seen a recent spike of interest in the world famous tenor, in this the 100th anniversary of his first recordings.
    The scratchy early recordings not only launched the tenor's career, but also helped change the face of the recording industry.
    The year 2002 marks the 100th anniversary of the first recordings by renowned operatic tenor Enique Caruso. The recordings, which were made in 1902, were the first 'smash hits' of the new recording industry.
    Recording pioneer Fred Gaisberg, an American working for the Gramophone and Typewriter Company of London, was often called the 'founding father of commercial recordings.' He helped develop the technology that he would use to record Caruso.
    But along with being a engineer, Gaisberg had a keen ear for talent.
    Aldo Mancusi owns most of the historic records as part of the Caruso Museum in New York. His museum, located on a quiet sidestreet in residential Brooklyn, is not exactly on a well-beaten path. Still, Mancusi has seen an increase in attendance at his museum, an out of the way homage to the great singer.
    Mancusi described the legendary moment when Gaisberg and his assistant first heard Caruso sing.
    "When they heard Caruso, they positively flipped, and notified their company, after talking to Caruso, that Caruso wanted fifty dollars a record. Well the company at that time they were lucky if they were selling ten records of any one particular artist. So they sent a telegram back immediately, 'Do not record Caruso, fee ridiculous' because they would have probably, they thought, they would never sell many records, and therefore never recuperating their fifty dollars per record," said Mancusi.
    Gaisberg took a gamble and defied his boss, recording 10 songs by Caruso in Gaisberg's Milan hotel room. When these songs were later released in London, they were an immediate hit. According to Mancusi, previous recording were lucky to sell ten copies. The Caruso recordings were the first to sell by the thousands, making him the first recording star of the vinyl era and ushering the way for countless other musicians.
    Gaisberg was sent back to Italy later in the year to record another 10 songs.
    Up until that time, said Mancusi, performers avoided the new recording technology because of the scratchy, noisy sound quality. But Caruso's voice was so compelling to listeners in the early part of the 20th century that they were able to accept the sound and revel in the voice of the powerful tenor.
    According to Mancusi, Caruso had a big, barrel chest and had a very strong, powerful voice. The Caruso museum, located on a quiet residential street in Brooklyn section of New York City, is a testament to the timeless appeal of Caruso. The walls of the museum are covered with Caruso memorabilia, photographs and recordings. Caruso fans and opera singers are drawn to the museum from around the world. Mancusi credits the anniversary of the recordings to the museums increased inquiries and attendance.
    Tenors are especially fond of Caruso. One tenor, Giuseppe Taormina of Sicily, has long admired the singing qualities of Caruso. He recently visited the Caruso museum, drawing inspiration from the history around him.
    "Caruso really great, great tenor," said Taormina.
    Demonstrating the Caruso sound, Taormina said that the great tenor had a very 'round.' tone that he and other singers admire.
    Later in his life, Caruso credited the original 1902 recording made by Gaisberg for launching his career. Caruso went on to become the most widely recognized tenor of the early part of the twentieth century. In 1903, he made his Metropolitan debut in New York and was a staple there for almost 20 years, making numerous recordings.
    Caruso died in 1921 at the age of 48 of pleurisy and pneumonia, but he left a legacy that will live forever thanks to Gaisberg's 1902 recordings and places like the Caruso Museum in New York.
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