Farewell to Aldo Mancusi - Founder of the Enrico Caruso Museum of America September 06 2022

Our dear friend Aldo Mancusi passed away this May at 92 years old. While the world will miss him greatly, we are fortunate enough to be left with his lasting legacy, the Enrico Caruso Museum of America.

In honor of our beloved Aldo, we want to reflect on his life as a young Italian growing up in Brooklyn and how he eventually became the curator of a museum that he started with his Caruso collectibles in his own house. His story is one of perseverance, dedication, and of course, a love for opera.

HIS FATHER'S JOURNEY AS AN ITALIAN IMMIGRANT

Aldo Mancusi’s father moved to New York from Italy with his family when he was 17. Aldo’s grandfather owned a shoe factory in Italy that produced riding boots and other shoes. Soon after they immigrated, his father began to work in a shoe factory in New York, the I Miller. As a sampler maker, he did exceptionally well for himself before the Great Depression hit in 1929. However, since families no longer had expendable incomes to purchase expensive shoes, he soon lost his job.

Mike Sisca, Licia Albanese and Aldo Mancusi - Triple signed photo, 1994

[IMAGE] Mike Sisca, Licia Albanese and Aldo Mancusi - Triple signed photograph, 1994

The Great Depression was a difficult time for their family, but his father did everything he could to continue to provide the necessities. He was an incredibly hard worker but could not make much money. With four kids to take care of, he managed to afford the basics, but the family didn't have a lot of spare money for extra things.

Eventually, he secured a job with the Works Progress Administration (WPA). He began working on various public projects throughout New York City with the program. Finally, things started to get a little bit easier for the family.

ALDO MANCUSI'S CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOLING IN BROOKLYN

Aldo Mancusi grew up in Brooklyn, New York. Born in 1929, his childhood was filled with the love of a tight-knit family with amazing parents. Despite his family's difficulties during the Great Depression, his father worked extremely hard to provide for them.

Growing up in an Italian immigrant family, the primary language spoken at home was Italian. While this helped Aldo in the long run as he continued to use his Italian language skills throughout his life, it made his early school years difficult. He had many German teachers who didn't have a friendly attitude towards other foreigners.

On top of his language issues, he experienced significant discrimination because his family was on welfare. Aldo was traumatized by the treatment of students on welfare programs by teachers and the principal. His teacher would often punish him for not understanding their fast speaking and send him to a corner to sit with a dunce hat. Aldo frequently didn't understand why he was punished.

By graduation, Aldo managed to catch up to his peers. Throughout his high school years, he worked to help sustain his family. Every evening after school, he would work five hours a night at a gas station while simultaneously completing his homework. He secured his job through a teacher who took him under his wing, Charlie.

BETTER OPPORTUNITIES WITH CHARLIE

He met his teacher Charlie while he attended trade school, and they quickly developed a good relationship. Aldo reflected later in life that this relationship probably stemmed from his skills working on the teachers' cars. Charlie helped him get a job alongside him at a gas station. There, he helped further Aldo's education by teaching him the proper terminology of parts and how to do the job correctly.

The education Charlie gave him helped him get off the front line in Korea. Instead, he worked in intelligence, where he taught in the army. When Aldo returned home, Charlie encouraged him to continue into a career as an educator. However, after watching his father struggle financially, he wasn't willing to accept the low salary. Rather than go to college, he became a workaholic, eventually buying his family's first car.

[IMAGE] Aldo Mancusi at the Enrico Caruso Museum

Aldo wanted to make good money, so he became a businessman. He and his two brothers started a home improvement business which became highly successful. They ran the business together for 50 years before Aldo stepped away to focus on other things.

ALDO MANCUSI'S ENRICO CARUSO COLLECTION BEGINS

It was then that he began his journey into collecting memorabilia. His first love was big music, but he eventually became fascinated with voices. Inheriting over 70 Enrico Caruso records from his father only fueled his interest. These first records started his collection of Enrico Caruso memorabilia that would eventually turn into a full-fledged museum.

Aldo Mancusi had a friend named Michael Sisca, who also had a bountiful collection of Enrico Caruso artifacts. Sisca's father had been friendly with Caruso and was given the items directly from the man himself. Sisca told Aldo that he would leave his entire collection to him if he would open up a museum, and the idea was born.

THE ENRICO CARUSO MUSEUM OF AMERICA

The official Enrico Caruso Museum of America was created in 1989, beginning with Aldo's personal collection. By then, Aldo often had friends and colleagues over to enjoy his Caruso pieces. His wife jokingly told him she was tired of making tea and cake for all these people she didn't know, and the two decided he would move the collection upstairs. His wife's continued support helped make the museum what it is today.

[IMAGE] Enrico Caruso Museum of America - Entrance

Once the collection moved upstairs, Sisca began to make donations to the museum. Upon his death, he gave his entire collection to Aldo Mancusi. Sisca also taught Aldo a lot about Caruso throughout their friendship. The Enrico Caruso Museum of America was officially registered as a non-profit in March of 1994. Over the next 30 years, he would purchase and receive many more donated items to add to the collection.

ABOUT ENRICO CARUSO

Enrico Caruso was born in February of 1873 into a poor family in Naples. He was his parents' first child to survive infancy. He eventually began to attend school, where he started to sing in the church choir, finding his voice for the first time.

He started to sing in the streets, cafes, and soirees to make money for his family. He made his professional debut in Naples at the Teatro Nuovo. From there, he continued to polish his style and improve his note range. Finally, he was hired by the Gramophone Company to make a ten-disk collection of acoustic recordings, which helped him attain fame among English-speaking fans. He was one of the first opera singers to gain notoriety among a mass audience, many of whom had never seen an opera.

Aldo Mancusi showing the Enrico Caruso museum in Brooklyn, New York

[IMAGE] Aldo Mancusi showing the Enrico Caruso museum in Brooklyn, New York

Over the years, he performed at La Scala, the Mariinsky Theatre, the Bolshoi Theatre, Teatro Lírico, Covent Garden, the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, and many others. According to some, his mouth cavity was so large that he could place an entire egg inside it and close his mouth without breaking it. Those who knew him said he put a lot of heart into his work, contributing to his major successes.

Enrico Caruso's career was cut short as his health began a downward spiral in late 1920. Many believe his illness stemmed from an on-stage injury he suffered. About a year later, he fell into a coma and underwent many surgical procedures to help save his life. While it initially appeared that he was recovering, he died on August 2, 1921, at the young age of 48.

His popularity continued after his death, thanks partly to his phonograph records, which had become very popular. He was one of the first opera singers to accept the gramophone, which ended up contributing to his lasting legacy. These recordings would also become the inspiration for Aldo Mancusi's Enrico Caruso Museum of America.

Enrico Caruso´s shoes, with higher heels

[IMAGE] Enrico Caruso´s shoes, with higher heels - Part of the Museum collection

BECOMING A COMMENDATORE

On top of founding and curating the Enrico Caruso Museum of America out of his home, Aldo Mancusi would give courses at colleges and senior centers. Some notable locations where he lectured include the Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo at NYU, Steinway Hall, the Brooklyn Borough Hall, and many others. He also would travel throughout Italy doing exhibitions about Enrico Caruso. He loved his time in Italy, educating people while enjoying all the Italian food he could eat.

In 1999, for Caruso's 125 birthday, the Enrico Caruso Museum put on its largest concert in New York City. The event featured a performance by Enrico's great-grandson, Riccardo Caruso.

The screening room at the Enrico Caruso Museum

[IMAGE] The screening room at the Enrico Caruso Museum

Eventually, in 1996, the Italian government gave him the title of Cavaliere Ufficiale. Later, in 2014 he received the title of Commendatore, or commander, for his contribution to the arts community in Italy and the United States. This title was especially important to him, as he shared it with his beloved Caruso.

Throughout the years, Aldo Mancusi was involved in many newspaper and magazine articles, TV documentaries, and interviews. He shared his love of Caruso and kept his voice alive for future generations to enjoy.

ALDO MANCUSI'S LEGACY

Aldo Mancusi passed away on May 13, 2022, at 92 years old. On top of his work as curator of the Enrico Caruso Museum, he was also a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather. His radiant energy will live on amongst his friends and family, as well as in his imprint on Italian culture in the United States.

He spent much of his time during the pandemic tape recording stories of each item in his museum to keep himself busy and preserve his legacy. While the museum's future is unclear, it will likely be preserved and relocated to a larger institution.

SOURCES:

Coney Island History

Wikipedia: Enrico Caruso

Victoria and Albert Museum

SEE ALSO:

- Enrico caruso museum of America

- Enrico Caruso Museum (in Italy)

- Enrico Caruso Autographs & Memorabilia

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