Opera Singer. Originally trained as a bass, but his voice teacher recognizing the tremendous ease, power, and beauty if his upper range, convinced him in 1951 to retrain as a baritone. In 1953 he sang in Turin in his first appearance as 'Gerard' in Giordano’s "Andrea Chenier" and then, in December of that same year, he was heard at the old Metropolitan Opera in New York as the elder Germont in Verdi’s "Traviata." He had a very short but intense career (just over 10 years), at the Teatro alla Scala appearing in 20 different operas as the principal baritone. In his brief career he sang every major baritone role including the title role in Verdi’s “Rigoletto” and the Marquis of Posa in Verdi’s "Don Carlo" in the most important theatres in the world. In 1962, he was diagnosed with cancer of the throat. He continued with his vocal career but he had to undergo radiations treatment for his cancer because he refused to have an operation. Of course his voice wasn't the same anymore but nobody knew why, and the public, critics, his colleagues, and everybody in the opera world wondered about this mysterious decline of a singer just over 40 years old.
Opera Singer. Originally trained as a bass, but his voice teacher recognizing the tremendous ease, power, and beauty if his upper range, convinced him in 1951 to retrain as a baritone. In 1953 he sang in Turin in his first appearance as 'Gerard' in Giordano’s "Andrea Chenier" and then, in December of that same year, he was heard at the old Metropolitan Opera in New York as the elder Germont in Verdi’s "Traviata." He had a very short but intense career (just over 10 years), at the Teatro alla Scala appearing in 20 different operas as the principal baritone. In his brief career he sang every major baritone role including the title role in Verdi’s “Rigoletto” and the Marquis of Posa in Verdi’s "Don Carlo" in the most important theatres in the world. In 1962, he was diagnosed with cancer of the throat. He continued with his vocal career but he had to undergo radiations treatment for his cancer because he refused to have an operation. Of course his voice wasn't the same anymore but nobody knew why, and the public, critics, his colleagues, and everybody in the opera world wondered about this mysterious decline of a singer just over 40 years old.
Bio by: tkejumbo
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