Monsalve's vocal technique is formed with the traditional old Italian school, passed on from generation to generation. However his technique is consolidated with the bases of two different schools, Ettore Campogalliani and Arturo Melocchi.
Monsalve was born in the Chilean city Valparaíso, where he later began his studies of fine arts at the School of "Bellas Artes". Monsalve started his musical studies the 2001 in Viña del Mar at the Conservatory Izidor Handler with soprano Nora Lopez Von Vriessen and tenor Mario Barrientos. Lopez Von Vriessen is a former student of the Legendary Sopranos Gina Cigna and Maria Caniglia. Barrientos is a former student of the Tenor Carlos Santelices. In 2004 Monsalve moved to Italy and continued his studies learning the technique of Ettore Campogalliani in Modena with one of his students, the soprano Mirella Freni. Ettore Campogalliani was also teacher of Renata Tebaldi, Luciano Pavarotti, Renata Scotto, Ferruccio Furlanetto, Ruggero Raimondi, and other big singers. In 2007 Monsalve had private lessons with the tenor Dano Raffanti, former student of the famous musicologist, critic and voice teacher Rodolfo Celletti. 2008 Monsalve had private lessons with tenor Lando Bartolini, former student of the Metropolitan Opera Bass Nicola Moscona. In 2009 Monsalve had a master class with the soprano Montserrat Caballé in Zaragoza to learn the breath support of this legendary singer, and returns to Italy to learn the technique or "method" of Arturo Melocchi, teacher of Mario Del Monaco, Franco Corelli and also Renata Tebaldi, with the Bass Leodino Ferri† who was one of the few last living students of Melocchi. Same year, always in Italy, Monsalve learned the "Del Monaco-Melocchi" technique with who is till now his teacher, the Italian tenor Nicola Martinucci, student of Marcello del Monaco and in 2010/2011 had private lessons with tenors Gianfranco Cecchele in Italy and Corneliu Murgu in Romania, both formed students of Mario Del Monaco.
Monsalve has been scenically trained with actor and Chilean director Juan Edmundo González del Valle†, renowned Chilean Actor, theater director and one of the pioneers of the Chilean street theater in the 80's and later with Hollywood Stars coach Bernard Hiller.
Monsalve's cinematographic debut happened on 15 July 2015, with a live broadcast of Georges Bizet's opera Carmen as the main male character Don José in the principal cinemas of the whole Europe, directed by Enrico Castiglione and produced by Rising Alternative.[37][38]
Honors
Monsalve was named Cultural Ambassador of his city, receiving the Unesco Medal of Valparaíso, Unesco World Heritage. 11 August 2010.
Awards
On 6 December 2015, the Mascagnian Committee of Bagnara di Romagna, Italy, awarded Giancarlo Monsalve with the 35th Mascagni D'Oro Award (The Golden Pietro Mascagni).[39][40]
