Giovanni Apostolu (Tenor) (Athens 1860 – Naples 1905)
His real name was Ioannis Apostolou. He studied at the Athens Conservatory and made his debut in 1888 as Yorghis in ‘’The Parliamentary Candidate’’ of Xyndas. Shortly after he was engaged as the first tenor in a Greek traveling opera troupe. In 1890 he came to Italy and studied there again with Felice Pozzi. After he had achieved his first success at the Teatro La Fenice in Venezia as Alvaro in Verdi’s ‘’La Forza del Destino’’, he sang in all big Italian opera houses, among other things at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples where he also appeared in the première of Massenet’s ‘’Werther’’ (1895). In 1895 he sang at La Scala in the premiere of the operas ‘’I Medici’’ of Leoncavallo and ’’Patrie!’’ of Paladilhe. In 1896 Apostolu appeared there in the premiere of ‘’Andrea Chénier’’ sharing the role of Andrea Chenier with Giuseppe Borgatti. In 1893 he performed at the Teatro Mercadante in Napoli in the premiere of the opera ‘’Regina Diaz'’’of Umberto Giordano. He also made guest appearances in Russia (St. Petersburg, Moscow) and Poland achieving great success. He died at the height of his career at the age of only 45 years.
Chronology of some appearances
1891 Novara Teatro Coccia Cavalleria rusticana (Turridu)
1892 Pisa Teatro Nuovo Mefistofele (Faust)
1892 Ferrara Teatro Comunale Cavalleria rusticana (Turridu)
1892 Vicenza Teatro Eretenio Gioconda (Enzo)
1893 Genova Politeama Genovese Cavalleria rusticana (Turridu)
1893 Palermo Politeama Gioconda (Enzo)
1893 Palermo Politeama Loreley (Walter)
1893 Palermo Politeama Rigoletto (Duca)
1893 Torino Teatro Vittorio Emanuele Lohengrin (Lohengrin)
1893 Torino Teatro Vittorio Emanuele Rigoletto (Duca)
1893 Torino Teatro Vittorio Emanuele Mefistofele (Faust)
1894 Napoli Teatro San Carlo Dannazione di Faust (Faust)
1894 Napoli Teatro Mercadante Werther (Werther)
1894 Trieste Teatro Comunale Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)
1895 Napoil Teatro Mercadante Carmen (Don Jose)
1895 Napoli Teatro San Carlo Cavalleria rusticana (Turridu)
1895 Napoli Teatro San Carlo Werther (Werther)
1895 Torino Teatro Vittorio Emanuele Lohengrin (Lohengrin)
1895 Torino Teatro Vittorio Emanuele Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)
1895 Alessandria d'Egitto Teatro Alhambra Gioconda (Enzo)
1895 Alessandria d'Egitto Teatro Abbas Rigoletto (Duca)
1896 Milano Teatro La Scala Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1896 Torino Teatro Regio Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1896 Brescia Teatro Grande Boheme (Rodolfo)
1896 Firenze Politeama Vittorio Emanuele Cavalleria rusticana (Turridu)
1896 Napoli Teatro San Carlo Mefistofele (Faust)
1896 Varsavia Teatro Imperiale Rigoletto (Duca)
1896 Varsavia Teatro Imperiale Ugonotti (Raoul)
1897 Montecarlo Palais Garnier Rigoletto (Duca)
1897 Montecarlo Palais Garnier Traviata (Alfredo)
1897 Venezia Teatro La Fenice Boheme (Rodolfo)
1897 Venezia Teatro La Fenice Werther (Werther)
1898 Verona Teatro Filarmonico Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1898 Bergamo Teatro Donizetti Boheme (Rodolfo)
1898 Bergamo Teatro Donizetti Rigoletto (Duca)
1898 Venezia Teatro La Fenice Lohengrin (Lohengrin)
1898 Palermo Politeama Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)
1899 Roma Teatro Adriano Carmen (Don Jose)
1899 Roma Teatro Adriano Cavalleria rusticana (Turridu)
1899 Treviso Teatro Sociale Carmen (Don Jose)
1899 Odessa Teatro Municipale Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1899 Odessa Teatro Municipale Carmen (Don Jose)
1899 Odessa Teatro Municipale Lohengrin (Lohengrin)
1899 Odessa Teatro Municipale Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)
1899 Odessa Teatro Municipale Dannazione di Faust (Faust)
1899 Odessa Teatro Municipale Rigoletto (Duca)
1900 Odessa Teatro Municipale Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1900 Odessa Teatro Municipale Boheme (Rodolfo)
1900 Odessa Teatro Municipale Cavalleria rusticana (Turridu)
1900 Odessa Teatro Municipale Lohengrin (Lohengrin)
1900 Odessa Teatro Municipale Traviata (Alfredo)
1900 Odessa Teatro Municipale Werther (Werther)
1900 Atene Grand Theatre Carmen (Don Jose)
1900 Lugo Teatro Rossini Lohengrin (Lohengrin)
1901 Odessa Teatro Municipale Lohengrin (Lohengrin)
1901 Odessa Teatro Municipale Loreley (Walter)
1901 Odessa Teatro Municipale Eugene Onegin (Lenski)
1901 Odessa Teatro Municipale Tosca (Cavaradossi)
1901 Odessa Teatro Municipale Werther (Werther)
1902 Odessa Teatro Municipale Werther (Werther)
1902 Odessa Teatro Municipale Ugonotti (Raoul)
1903 Rostov Teatro Nazionale Werther (Werther)
1903 Rostov Teatro Nazionale Carmen (Don Jose)
1903 Rostov Teatro Nazionale Tosca (Cavaradossi)
1903 Kiev Teatro Solodownikoff Tosca (Cavaradossi)
1904 Alessandria d'Egitto Teatro Alcazar Boheme (Rodolfo)
1904 Alessandria d'Egitto Teatro Alhambra Cavalleria rusticana (Turridu)
RECORDINGS FOR SALE
Marcos Botsaris: O Gero Demos G&T 12123 5514a (W2)
Ghiati? G&T 12133 5517a (R)
Manon Lescaut : Tra voi belle G&T 52284 5521a (R)
Faust: Tardi si fa, addio with Cesira Ferrani G&T 54035 2931b
