# Gino Penno - Thoughts/Opinions?



## Op.123 (Mar 25, 2013)

Gino Penno had a brief but meteoric career in the early 1950s. He is supposed to have had an exceptionally large, robust instrument, similar to Del Monaco’s in size but maybe less heroic and more romantic in timbre. I have seen him come in for similar criticism as Del Monaco too, loud and unrefined etc. but, as with Del Monaco, I don’t think this is always totally fair. His Manrico in 1953, for instance, is just as well sung as Corelli’s and more traditionally Italianate, does anyone else here enjoy the recordings of this tenor?


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

I really like that 1953 Trovatore, not only because it has Callas at the peak of her powers, but it is an all round superb cast. I remember being impressed by Penno there. The only other recording I know of his is the Bernstein Medea where I found his performance less memorable.

N.


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## Op.123 (Mar 25, 2013)

The Conte said:


> I really like that 1953 Trovatore, not only because it has Callas at the peak of her powers, but it is an all round superb cast. I remember being impressed by Penno there. The only other recording I know of his is the Bernstein Medea where I found his performance less memorable.
> 
> N.


Yes, even Tagliabue is excellent despite being very late career - Penno also has a very good Pollione on record, Alvaro in Forza and Ernani. It's very much a voice for the dramatic Verdi roles and although Del Monaco seems a more suitable Radames I prefer Penno as Manrico.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Not a terribly interesting tenor; serviceable, no more than that.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

He's also on the Callas/De Sabata *Macbeth *singing Macduff. He's not as awful as some of the tenors she sang with (Baum anyone?) but I don't find him particularly thrilling. Maybe his musical manners were a bit better but I think Del Monaco had the more exciting voice. 

I'd rate him slightly above @MAS's "serviceable", but not much.


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## Op.123 (Mar 25, 2013)

Tsaraslondon said:


> He's also on the Callas/De Sabata *Macbeth *singing Macduff. He's not as awful as some of the tenors she sang with (Baum anyone?) but I don't find him particularly thrilling. Maybe his musical manners were a bit better but I think Del Monaco had the more exciting voice.
> 
> I'd rate him slightly above @MAS's "serviceable", but not much.


Del Monaco could be more exciting and had a more consistent voice but Penno had a warmer vocal personality. I like both in different roles. I'd say Penno was significantly better than 'serviceable', after all a tenor who was given leads all over Italy and at the Met in the early 50s had to have had more than just a good voice. I'd rate him amongst the favourite Italian dramatic tenors with Del Monaco, Francesco Merli, Giovanni Martinelli etc.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Op.123 said:


> Del Monaco could be more exciting and had a more consistent voice but Penno had a warmer vocal personality. I like both in different roles. I'd say Penno was significantly better than 'serviceable', after all a tenor who was given leads all over Italy and at the Met in the early 50s had to have had more than just a good voice. I'd rate him amongst the favourite Italian dramatic tenors with Del Monaco, Francesco Merli, Giovanni Martinelli etc.


He'd certainly be greatly appreciated if he were around today.


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