Puente, Giuseppe Del

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Puente, Giuseppe Del

Puente, Giuseppe Del , Italian baritone; b. Naples, Jan. 30, 1841; d. Philadelphia, May 25, 1900. He first studied cello at the Naples Cons. but later began to cultivate his voice, making his operatic debut at Iasi. He was then engaged for the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, and for appearances in France, Germany, Russia, Spain, and England (made his Covent Garden debut in 1873, and became very popular there). His first American engagement was under Strakosch at the N.Y. Academy of Music in 1873–74; he became a member of the first Metropolitan Opera season in N.Y. and sang the role of Valentin in the inaugural performance of Faust on Oct. 22, 1883; remained on its roster for the seasons of 1883–84, 1891–92, and 1894–95. In 1885 he returned to the N.Y. Academy of Music under Mapleson’s management, taking part in the American premiere of Manon on Dec. 23 of that year; he was also a member of the opera troupes of Patti and Hinrichs; with the latter’s company, he sang in the American premiere of Cavalleria rusticana (Philadelphia, Sept. 9, 1891). He married the mezzosoprano Helen Dudley Campbell.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire