Luigi Ricci (vocal coach)

Luigi Ricci (1893-1981) was an Italian assistant conductor, accompanist, vocal coach, and author.

Career

Luigi Ricci began studying music as a child, and at the age of only twelve, started accompanying voice lessons given by the famous baritone
Antonio Cotogni, who had performed several of Giuseppe Verdi 's operas under the composer's supervision. At this early age, Ricci began taking meticulous notes on traditions, which Cotogni was passing on to him from work with 19th Century composers and conductors.

Ricci became an assistant conductor with the Rome Opera House and in that capacity worked eight years with Giacomo Puccini and thirty-oneyears with Pietro Mascagni. Other composers with whom he was associated include Ottorino Respighi, Umberto Giordano, Riccardo Zandonai, and Ildebrando Pizzetti. Among the many great conductors with whom he worked were Gino Marinuzzi, Vittorio Gui, Ettore Panizza, Tullio Serafin, Victor de Sabata; as well as singers such as Ezio Pinza, Beniamino Gigli, Toti dal Monte, Giacomo Lauri-Volpi, Maria Caniglia, to name but a few.

Ricci was the author of a collection of four volumes on "Variations, Cadenzas, and Traditions", and of two books "Puccini interprete da se stesso", and "31 anni con Pietro Mascagni". He collaborated on the musical direction of forty-two films and on numerous opera recordings with RCA.

Ricci was also active as a vocal coach at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia where he taught amongst many others to Sesto Bruscantini, Anna Moffo, Rosalind Elias, Ezio Flagello.

elected works by Luigi Ricci

Compositions
*"Variazioni-Cadenze Tradizioni per Canto". Vol. I: Voci Femminili (Ricordi)
*"Variazioni-Cadenze Tradizioni per Canto". Vol. II: Voci Maschili (Ricordi)
*"Variazioni-Cadenze Tradizioni per Canto". Appendice N.1: Voci Miste (Ricordi)
*"Variazioni-Cadenze Tradizioni per Canto". Appendice N.2: Variazioni e Cadenze di G. Rossini (ricordi) Books and articles
*"Puccini interprete di se stesso", Ricordi Milan, (1954) 2003. ISBN 8875927251
*"34 anni con Pietro Mascagni", Edizioni Curci, 1976.
*"Fleta e le note filate presente Puccini", "Rassegna musicale", Vol. 30, no. 2, April 1977

Recording

*Giuseppe Verdi: "Il trovatore" (Stella Roman (Soprano); Silvia Sawyer (Mezzo Soprano); Anna Marcangeli (Soprano); Gino Sarri (Tenor); Antonio Manca Serra (Baritone); Vittorio Tatozzi (Baritone); Nino Mazziotti (Baritone); Rome Opera House Chorus and Orchestra; Conductor: Luigi Ricci) CD Label: Preiser Records

ource

[http://www.belcantoinst.org/ricci.html Luigi Ricci Biography] - The Bel Canto Institute