Ioannis Apostolou

Yannis Apostolou (c.1860 – 28 August 1905) was a Greek opera singer who went on to become one of the leading tenors in Italian opera houses, performing under the name Giovanni Apostolu. His voice is preserved on some early G&T recordings made in Milan in 1902.

Life and career Most sources list Athens as Apostolou's birthplace, although some list it as the nearby small town of Menidi. As a boy he sang in the Greek Royal Chapel and other church choirs in Athens and later studied singing under Alexandros Katakouzenos and Napoleon Lambelet of the Athens Conservatory. He made his debut in 1888 with the newly-formed Elliniko Melodrama company (a forerunner of the Greek National Opera) in a production of Spyridon Xyndas's opera The Parliamentary Candidate. He became a leading tenor with the company both in Athens and on tour to audiences of the Greek diaspora in Egypt, Turkey, Russia, and Hungary. During this time he specialised in bel canto roles such as Elvino in La sonnambula. Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, and Fernando in La favorita.