OPERA - BRUSCANTINI, Sesto (Civitanova Marche, 1919 – Civitanova Marche, 2003)

OPERA - BRUSCANTINI, Sesto (Civitanova Marche, 1919 – Civitanova Marche, 2003)
From an early age, he manifested his theatrical talent by 'reciting' Luigi Boccherini's Minuetto when he was only eight years old. In 1939 he sang in the musical comedy La Geisha by Sidney Jones at the Teatro Beniamino Gigli in Civitanova Marche (today Teatro Rossini). The young Bruscantini had been 'bewitched' by opera, captivated in particular by Giulio Neri's Mefistofele. Although he obtained a law degree, he dashed his father's hopes as a lawyer and, encouraged by successes in small concerts, with the help of a melomaniac uncle, continued his musical studies, making his debut in 1946 in his home town as Colline in La bohème. In the same year, he had a successful audition with Beniamino Gigli, who confirmed his bass register. He later studied at the Conservatorio Santa Cecilia with Maestro Luigi Ricci and in 1947 won the 'Tournament for young opera singers' organised by the newly founded RAI, with which he began a period of intense collaboration. His La Scala debut in March 1949 in Il matrimonio segreto definitively marked the start of a 40-year career. He began his international career at the Glyndebourne Festival in 1951, immediately establishing himself as a refined Mozart interpreter and subsequently playing a large number of famous characters from the 18th-19th century comic repertoire: of particular note are Dandini in La Cenerentola, Selim in Il Turco in Italia, Figaro in both Le nozze di Figaro and Il barbiere di Siviglia, as well as Don Pasquale and Dulcamara. He took part in historic performances: one for all, the first contemporary performance of the aforementioned Turco in Italia, on 22 October 1950 at the Teatro Argentina in Rome, conducted by Gianandrea Gavazzeni, with Maria Callas and Mariano Stabile. From the 1960s onwards, he also distinguished himself in the bel canto and dramatic repertoire: most notable were Alfonso di Castiglia in La Favorita, Zurga in Les pêcheurs de perles and various Verdi characters, such as Rigoletto, Germont, Posa, Falstaff and Melitone. Only two years after his belated debut at the Metropolitan, he was the guest of honour on 23 October 1983 at the gala evening for the centenary of New York's greatest theatre. An extremely ductile voice and an extraordinary stage presence, combined with great class and composure, have always characterised Bruscantini, allowing him to cover practically the entire historical arc of vocal music, from Claudio Monteverdi's Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda of 1624, to the modernity of Igor' Stravinsky's Oedipus rex, passing through Bach's Cantatas and concert music of the most varied extraction, making his artistic experience almost unique in the history of opera performance. He was married to the Austrian soprano Sena Jurinac from 1953 to 1956.Autographed photo of the famous bass. Very good condition Photograph; 23.5x17.7 cm
-
This lot is under temporary import in the UK.
5% VAT is due if delivered in the UK.
Imnport VAT will be due if delivered within the EU.

---

Summary Auction Terms & Conditions

These key points summarise the full Terms & Conditions for L’Autographe Ltd online auctions. Each lot is presented automatically every three minutes on lautographe.auction.

1. Buyer’s Premium & VAT

• Buyer’s Premium: 25 % of the hammer price (minimum £15 per lot).

• VAT: 20 % VAT is added only to the Buyer’s Premium and to UK shipping/packing charges.

• Import VAT: For lots imported into the UK, 5 % of the hammer price is payable by UK buyers. Items shipped outside the UK are VAT‑exempt.

• Platform Surcharge: Purchases through Invaluable or Drouot incur an additional fee (plus VAT for UK buyers). 5% Invaluable (minimum £20 per lot) / 3% Drouot (Minimum £15 per lot)

2. Payment

• Accepted methods: bank transfer or debit/credit card (GBP, EUR, or USD).

• No PayPal

• Lots are released only after cleared payment.

3. Shipping, Export & Insurance

• A tailored, insured shipping quote will be added to your invoice.

• UK delivery costs are subject to 20 % VAT.

• Export Licence: If required, L’Autographe will apply on your behalf for a £20 administration fee per invoice.

• Buyers are responsible for any customs or import duties in their own country.

4. Bidding Increments

£0 – £199      £10
£200 – £499     £20
£500 – £999     £50
£1,000 – £1,999   £100
£2,000 – £4,999   £200
£5,000 – £9,999   £500
£10,000 – £19,999  £1,000
£20,000 – £49,999  £2,000
£50,000 – £99,999  £5,000
£100,000 – £249,999 £10,000
£250,000+      £25,000

5. Risk, Authenticity & Returns

• Risk passes to the buyer at the fall of the hammer.

• All lots sold as‑is with a guarantee of authenticity; claims for forgery must be submitted within 21 days with expert evidence.

• Refunds (hammer + premium only) are at L’Autographe’s discretion.

6. Storage & Uncollected Lots

• Uncollected items may be moved to storage at the buyer’s cost.

• If storage charges reach 50 % of the hammer price or three months elapse, items may be resold to recover costs.

7. Registration (KYC)

• New or inactive bidders must register 72 hours before the sale and provide valid ID (plus company documents where applicable).

8. Contact

L’Autographe Ltd
13 Hanover Square, London W1S 1HN, UK
+44 203 535 0363
autographe@lautographe.auction

This summary is for convenience only and does not replace the full Terms & Conditions. Please review the complete document before bidding.