Carlo Bergonzi

Carlo Bergonzi ( born July 13, 1924 in Vidalenzo, Italy ) is an Italian former opera singer in the vocal range Tenor.

Life

Bergonzi began his stage career after studying at the Conservatory " Arrigo Boito " in Parma as a baritone and debuted in 1948 at the theater in Lecce in the role of Figaro in Rossini's opera The Barber of Seville. Although he more baritone roles assumed in the following (among others Rigoletto ), he trained 1950/51 to the tenors and entered on January 12, 1951 in Bari for the first time in the title role in Giordano's Andrea Chénier opera on. He subsequently became one of the leading Lirico - spinto tenors of the 20th century. Bergonzi has performed with great success at all important opera stages of the world. Particular success he achieved at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City ( first role: Radames ), where he was for 25 years the leading tenors. Also in the Arena di Verona in 21 seasons he sang his most important roles. If he was also something the general public in the shadow of his colleague Franco Corelli, Giuseppe Di Stefano, Mario del Monaco and later Luciano Pavarotti, he is appreciated all the more in the professional world. The English vocal expert John Steane in his book The Grand Tradition and Jürgen Kesting in the great singers see in him, especially because of its superior singing technique, one of the most important tenors after the Second World War. In the center of Carlo Bergonzis repertoire focused primarily on the works of Verdi. This fact he owes, among many other honors two significant awards the contract d' oro (1972, Associazione " Amici di Verdi" ), and in 2000 the Gramophone 's Lifetime Achievement Award on the grounds: Biggest Verdi tenor of the 20th century.