Giovanni Apostolou

1860-1905

Ioannis (Yannis, Yangos ) Apostolou was born in Menidis, Athens, probably in 1860, though some researches provide the year 1863 or 1866. He was one of the first Greek singers to attain international fame and career and one of the earliest of which his voice is preserved in records.
About 1870 he became a member of the chorus of the Royal Palace Chapel of Athens (a chorus that had been formed by Queen Olga's command) and later studied at the Conservatory in Athens. At the same time to earn his living he worked as assistant secretary at the Athens Magistrates'Court and later at the National Press. He formed part of a group of serenaders who sang in Athens streets.

He started singing in choirs (around 1886) at charity concerts, carnival festivities and at the Athens Cathedral. His real stage debut took place on 14 march 1888 in the role of Yorghis on the opera The Parliamentary Candidate by Xyndas. He sang seven performances during march-april and then sang it at Patras.

On 22 july 1888 he appeared in the "komidhyllion" (a sort of musical comedy) "E Mylonáthes" (The Millers) by Napoleon Lambelet. On 19 december 1888 Apostolu sang the role of Daniel in the opera "Betly ossia La Capanna Svizzera" by Donizetti.

During 1889 Apostolou sang in the Elliniko Melodrama tours singing The Parliamentary Candidate, Betly but also adding to his repertory the role of Belmonte in "Die Entführung aus dem Serail", the role of Marcos Botsaris in the opera of the same name by Pavlos Carrer (Cairo, 2 february 1889), Fernando in "La Favorita", Edgardo in "Lucia di Lammermoor", Elvino in "La Sonambula". The tours took him to Egypt, Alexandria (Zizinia Theatre) and Cairo (Khedivial Theatre), january and february, and then to Turkey, Constantinople, march to may 1889 and to Smyrna, Eden Theatre, from may to july 1889, adding to his repertory the role of Almaviva in "Il Barbiere di Siviglia".

In august the company returned to Athens and Apostolou sang at the Theatró Falírou the operas "Marcos Botsaris" and "Kyrá Frossyni", also by Carrer. Both operas were conducted by the composer.

From september 1889 to march 1890 the company made a great tour, singing in Marseilles, Trieste, Braila and Galatz (Rumania, three months) and Odessa, where the company broke up.

At the time Apostolou voice was described as "sweet, powerful, caressing, clear, intoxicating, exqusiite, enchanting". The Greek expatriates in Odessa as well as the Greek comunity in Bucharest provided him with the necessary funds for further studies in Italy. Apostolu was already married and traveled together to Milan where they arrived in late may or early june 1890. The mother of famous Greek composer Spyros Samaras introduced the singer to maestro Felice Pozzi (or Pozzo). In six months, approximately, Apostolu was fully trained in singing, opera repertoire, acting and Italian language. Pozzi agreed that he was ready for his Italian debut and obtained for him his first contract, to make his debut as Alvaro in "La Forza del Destino" in Venice, 16 december 1890. A general overview of his artistic career can be obtained by the list of his performances which can be located on page of this article.

He sang in Russia for five seasons (Odessa) where he was deeply admired. He must have been also a favourite at Naples, where he sang both at the Mercadante and the San Carlo theaters. When he sang "La Boheme" at the Teatro Argentina, in Rome, the king Umberto I invited him to sing at his royal villa and presented him with a medal and a diamond brooch.

Many gaps are in Apostolou's life and career. There are no reports of the kind of illness that caused his untimely death. There is some information that says that already in 1901 he was experiencing the first symptoms of the illness.

Giovanni Apostolou died in Naples (Italy) on 28 August 1905 at 45 years old.

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