Tito Schipa

Tito Schipa (officially: Raffaele Attilio Amedeo) ( Lecce around January 2 1889 - New York December 16 1965 ) was an Italian singer (lyric tenor ) and composer . About his exact birth date is uncertain. Some sources call one of the last days of December 1888; However, this is not to identify with certainty. The official registration was to "technical" reasons only been on January 2, 1889. Because his official date of birth was recorded at 1889, he would also be only a year later conscripted.

[Biography edit ]
He studied in Milan, and at the age of 21 made ​​his operatic debut as Alfred in Verdi 's La traviata in the "Politeama Facchinetti" in Vercelli . In 1913 he performed for the first time in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro . In 1914 he has performed in the "Teatro Colon" in Rome as Ernesto in Gaetano Donizetti 's opera Don Pasquale . This was one of his famous roles shine. In the years 1915 - 1916 he made ​​his debut at the Scala of Milan in the role of Vladimir in Alexander Borodin's opera Prince Igor.

At the premiere of Giacomo Puccini 's opera La rondine on March 27, 1917, Schipa performed the role of Ruggero. In 1919 he traveled with his debut as the Duke of Mantua in Giuseppe Verdi's opera Rigoletto a solid foundation for a long career in the United States . A decade later, waiting for him a new task. Audience Favorite Beniamino Gigli namely went back to Italy in 1932, and to Schipa fell the heavy task of the void Gigli in the Metropolitan Opera left to fill - which he succeeded wonderfully well.

Schipa's career lasted 52 years, which is exceptionally long.

[Voice edit ]
Schipa's voice was the prototype of the bel canto . Although he did not have the mellifluous sound of Benjamino Gigli or the powerful of Mario del Monaco, but it was Schipa one of the main lyric tenors of his time, partly because of his still today unsurpassed renditions of Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia , Nemorino in The Love Potion and his "Ernesto" Don Pasquale.

Such as Enrico Caruso 's voice is called a once-in-a hundred years, so is the artistic, gifted voice of Tito Schipa remained unique.