Zeno Coste (May 30 1907 – 1985) was a Romanian singer.
Zeno Coste was born in Ciacova, Banat, to Iuliu and Zoe Coste.
Before starting his singing career, Zeno was a talented athlete. From 1927 to 1930 he held the Romanian record in double-handed weight throwing.[1]
From 1928 on, he studied music in Berlin and Milan. He was also successful in sports during his studies at the Technische Hochschule in Charlottenburg (now Technische Universität Berlin), winning the university championships in shot put three times. In 1930 he played a singer in the first Romanian sound film, Ciuleandra.[2] In December 1930 he recorded several songs in Romanian for the Columbia label in Berlin. In 1931/32 he sang the Tenor voice with the vocal ensemble "Die Parker",[3] which appeared on a number of records with the orchestras of Bernard Etté, Billy Bartholomew, Ilja Livschakoff and Georg Nettelmann. The group performed in two movies: Melodie der Liebe[4] with Richard Tauber and Die spanische Fliege[5] with Lizzi Waldmueller.
From 1932 to 1935 Zeno Coste was First Tenor with the Kardosch Singers,http://www.kardosch-saenger.de a successful vocal ensemble in the style of the Comedian Harmonists. The other members were Hungarians István Kardos[6] (piano and arrangements) and Pál Nyiri (Bass) and two Germans, Rudi Schuricke (Second Tenor) and Fritz Angermann (Baritone).
The Kardosch Singers completed tours in Denmark and the Netherlands, had radio appearances in Copenhagen, Hilversum, Frankfurt and Berlin, as well as concerts throughout Germany and a six-month engagement with the Theater am Kurfürstendamm in Berlin. Between 1932 and 1935, they recorded about 80 pieces for Telefunken, Odeon, and the Deutsche Grammophongesellschaft. The ensemble was involved in several film productions in 1932 and 1933, most of which have not survived.[7] In the 1933 film Roman einer Nacht they visibly appear as singers in a ball scene.
In early 1935, the Kardosch singers toured Germany with Barnabas von Géczy and his orchestra, as well as with Willy Reichert and his artists' troupe.
In November 1935 the group made their last records. Kardos and his wife were both of Jewish descent and Nyiri was married to a Jewish woman, so both couples went back to Hungary.
Coste stayed in Germany and had engagements at the Theater des Volkes in Berlin from December 1935 to February 1936. In the summer of 1936 he was signed on with the Meistersextett, one of the two successor groups to the Comedian Harmonists and participated in their recordings between August and October of that year, most notably in "Ich wollt' ich wär ein Huhn". He was also signed on to sing with the Meistersextett for the film Und Du mein Schatz fährst mit in September 1936.
In 1937 he sang in the film La Habanera, and recorded four songs with Erhard Bauschke and his orchestra.[8]
He returned to his native Romania in 1938. In 1942 and 1944 he sang the role of Rodolfo in "La Bohéme" under Antonin Ciolan and that of Alfred Germont in "La Traviata" at the Romanian National Opera in Iași.
He then returned to Banat where he worked as an engineer and was engaged as a solo singer with the Philharmonic Choir and the Cathedral Choir in Timișoara. He died in 1985.
His parents were attorney Iuliu Coste (1876–1967) and his wife Zoe (1885–1980).[9] Iuliu Coste was prefect of Timis-Torontal twice in the 1920s.[10] Zeno had two sisters, Zoe and Hortensia.[11] Brutus Coste was his younger brother.
On 11 November 1935 he married Helene Anna Kryszewska (1910–1979) in Berlin-Wilmersdorf.[12] The former Romanian national volleyball player Mihai Coste[13] is his son.
Berlin, December 11, 1930
Columbia Tanzorchester, vocals Zeno Coste [for Romania]
Berlin, December 12, 1930
Columbia Tanzorchester, vocals Zeno Coste [for Romania]
Berlin, December 16, 1930
Columbia Tanzorchester, vocals Zeno Coste [for Romania]
Berlin, March 1937
Erhard Bauschke and his orchestra, vocals Zeno Costa
Grammophon 2570:
Grammophon 10604:
Discography[14]
August 1931: Ilja Livschakoff und sein Orchester, Refrain „Die Parker":
September 1931: Billy Bartholomew und sein Orchester – Refrain „Die Parker":
September/Oktober 1931: Kristall-Orchester, Gesang: Quartett „Die Parker“
September oder Oktober 1931: Bernhard Etté und sein Orchester, Refrain „Die Parker“:
5. November 1931: Lizzi Waldmüller, „Die Parker“ und Jean Gilbert mit seinem Orchester:
November 1931: Ilja-Livschakoff und sein Orchester, Gesang Leo Monosson und „Die Parker“:
Dezember 1931: Kurt Hardt mit Quartett „Die Parker“ mit Orchesterbegleitung:
Januar 1932: Bernhard Etté und sein Orchester, Gesang „Die Parker“:
Januar 1932: Kristall-Orchester, Gesang „Die Parker“:
Januar 1932: George Nettelmann und sein Orchester, Refrain: Kurt Mühlhardt und „Die Parker“:
Frühling oder Sommer 1932: Kristall-Orchester und „Die Parker
August–September 1936:[15]
ORA 1418 In Mexico - Electrola EG 3723, Electrola EG 3745, HMV AM 4744, HMV EG 3723, HMV EG 3745
ORA 1419 Ich woll' ich wär ein Huhn - Electrola EG 3723, Electrola EG 3743, HVM AM 4744, HMV EG 3723
ORA 1471 Ja, der Ozean ist groß - Electrola EG 3743
ORA 1472 Schreit alle Hurra! - Electrola EG 3745, HMV EG 3745
9. Oktober 1936:
ORA 1504 – Der Piccolino – Electrola EG 3763
ORA 1505 – Hand in Hand – Electrola EG 3763
