Italian Tenors

The Ten Best Italian Tenors

Mario del Monaco

First in a Series of 'Italian Opera 'Greats'
An Exploration By Erica Miner

From her own personal experience and tastes developed over two decades as a violinist with the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, Erica Miner discusses tenors both historical and hysterical.

We've all heard of Enrico Caruso and the ubiquitous Luciano, but how many of us are familiar with Tito Schipa and other past 'greats' of the Italian opera world? Here's my take on this subject: I Grandi Tenori Italiani...

(As taste in tenors is entirely subjective, I haven't arranged them in 'best' order; rather, in a more or less chronological order, from contemporary to former, ending with a 'supplemental' list of the downright ancient. Enjoy!

1. LUCIANO PAVAROTTI (1935- 2007)

Well, why not begin with the 'King?' I witnessed countless Luciano performances in my years at the Met, including the infamous premiere the new production of Donizetti's La Favorita that was mounted expressly for Pavarotti. Needless to say, the former champion soccer player from Modena (I think he ultimately made the right career choice) was more nervous than usual during the run of this little known and even lesser performed work. I remember one evening in which everyone, both in the audience and in the pit, was kept waiting an inordinate amount of time during the second intermission. When we musicians finally asked our orchestra personnel manager how much longer this would go on, he answered simply, 'When Pavarotti sings, you wait.' That said, it was always - always - worth the wait.

2. FRANCO CORELLI (1921-2003)

I first heard of Corelli as a student in Boston back in the 60s. Whenever Franco came to town to perform, there was always a gaggle of giggling female admirers draped over the edge of the balcony of Symphony Hall with their tongues hanging out. I remember passionate debates at the school cafeteria between said females and other (usually male) opera aficionados, hotly arguing the merits of his vocal beauty or lack thereof, depending on your point of view. His physical attributes played no small part in the discussions. A propos of that, Corelli's wife was once purported to have complained to Rudolph Bing, 'Franco refuse to make love three days before and three days after he sing. You are ruining my sex life!' One thing is for sure: Franco had about the greatest sheer lungpower of any tenor I've ever heard, live or recorded.

3. MARIO DEL MONACO (1915-1982)

Del Monaco before his debut in Andrea Chénier on October 6, 1945 in Valdagno (Italy) carefully studied the part with Maestro Umberto Giordano who personally wrote down some remarkes on the score. He can listen to "Improvviso di Andrea Chénier', performed on April 10th 1954 al Teatro San Carlo in Naples Listen to Mario Del Monacoa> Mario Del Monaco returned to enjoy the American public at the Philadelphia Lyric Opera House (see photo) on April 23, 1953 with Andrea Chénier in a top performance that remains an example for tenors for all times.

He obtained a real success with the same opera at the Metropolitan under the superb direction of Mr. Rudolf Bing Listen to the gorgeous rendition in Italian of the 'Flower Song' from Carmen on the home page of his official site ( Mario del Monaco ) and you will understand why Del Monaco was praised for his beauty of tone and magnificent variety of timbres. It wasn't easy to hold that high B-flat for as long as he did, and to render it so exquisitely. (Trust me, I've heard more than my share of tenors struggle with that one.) In fact, Lauri-Volpi (see below) actually was quoted as saying that Del Monaco had 'the best B-flat of lyrical music.' I only regret that I was never able to hear him sing live. But hey, anyone who could be declared, along with Renata Tebaldi (my soprano idol), the 'couple of the century' could do no wrong in my book.

4. GIUSEPPE DI STEFANO (1921- )

According to the originator of Giuseppe ('Pippo') Di Stefano's home page, (http://members.tripod.com/~Tosca/DiStefano/) this tenor, born the same year as Corelli, was 'one of the greatest tenors of all time.' Born in a tiny village near Catania, he was the son of a cobbler and a dressmaker. Talk about humble beginnings. He made his La Scala debut at the tender age of 26, and his Met debut at 27. I know him best from the oft-played recording of Tosca with Callas, in many circles the definitive version of the impassioned love duet in Act I. His tone was lush, yet beautifully focused, and his interpretations were immensely appealing. In a performance towards the end of his career at Covent Garden, he was replaced by a little known tenor named Luciano Pavarotti, who along with Domingo, credit Di Stefano as one of their two greatest influences (the other being Jussi Björling.) Unfortunately, the retired Di Stefano, along with his wife, suffered head wounds during an attack by thieves in Kenya last year but was flown to Italy, where he managed to recover, even at his advanced age. He is now out of the hospital, and we're all sending vibes his way for his continued improvement.

5. CESARE VALLETTI (1921-2000)

Unlike so many Italian opera luminaries, Valletti was actually born in mid- to upper-middle class circumstances and at an early age was able to study with operatic giant Tito Schipa (see below.) He paced his operatic career wisely and ultimately sang at all the top houses of the world. From his debut at La Scala at age 29 to his U.S. debut in San Francisco three years later to his Covent Garden debut in 1958, he made the rounds of the best houses the opera world had to offer. But after 79 performances with the Met over a mere two seasons, he refused to appear there again after Bing pulled him out of a new production of Elisir d'Amore in 1960. His discography reads like a Who's Who of classic tenor opera composers (Donizetti, Puccini, Verdi, Bellini, Rossini, Mascagni) sprinkled with some intriguing, slightly less glittery ones (Cimarosa, Wolf-Ferrari), with some decidedly non-Italians among the mix (Massenet, Mozart.) And leading ladies? The gamut, from Callas to Price to Moffo to Peters to Simionato. And no wonder, for his voice has been described as uniquely beautiful and his technique accomplished almost beyond compare. (He wasn't too shabby to look at, either.)

6. GIACOMO LAURI-VOLPI (1894-1979)

Not only did Lauri-Volpi enjoy the status of 'living legend' during his career, he kept performing into his 70s - and with roles that could tax even the most strapping and youthful tenors (e.g., Calaf and the Duke of Mantua.) He also had a rare talent for mastering roles that most other tenors could not or would not, in operas like William Tell and Les Huguenots, which were not the usual dramatic benchmark. For this reason, his singing was not to everyone's taste. But that did not prevent him from being called 'la voce solitaria' and being recognized as embodying 'the pride of the romantic hero like nobody else in the 20th century.' As with Corelli, Lauri-Volpi was most often the center of debate between audiences and media about the attributes of his operatic gifts. And that kind of controversy is what superstars thrive on. In Clint Eastwood fashion, he continued to command the admiration and respect of his audiences, nailing high notes and summoning up brilliance of timbre in his later years, and gaining recognition when most careers have long ended. And on top of that, he was also a distinguished writer and music critic: a true son of the Renaissance.

7. BENIAMINO GIGLI (1890-1957)

The self-declared 'people's singer', Gigli was more than ready to add popular tunes and love songs to his concert repertoire. The sentimentality these added to his interpretations notwithstanding, Gigli still had no trouble whatsoever pleasing audiences: his voice was simply that beautiful. At the tender age of 24, he already had the judges of the Parma International Competition declaring, 'At last we have found the tenor!' This triumph marked the meteoric rise of the shoemaker's son to the pinnacle of the opera world in a few short years. By the time Gatti-Casazza engaged Gigli in 1919, the justly deified Caruso's health had begun its downward spiral. Gigli was destined to be the next rising star, and in spite of the ever-present shadow of Caruso he established his own artistry. With his more youthful and lyrical sound, he became known for the sheer beauty of tone, as well as the dramatic intensity of his interpretations. Too bad he left the Met over a salary dispute; Gatti-Casazza evidently did not value Gigli's contribution to the operatic world enough to retain him. But then, Met General Managers have had a penchant for minimizing the importance of tenors. After all, it was Rudolph Bing who was quoted as saying, 'The reason tenors demand so much money is because the timbre of their voice is a sexual stimulant.' No other reason, Sir Rudolph?

8. TITO SCHIPA (1888-1965)

In spite of his humble family circumstances (he was born to a poor family in Lecce, perhaps the poorest area of Italy at the time), Raffaele Attilio Amadeo showed musical promise at a very early age. During his boyhood, his talent was recognized repeatedly by musical luminaries of the time: Bishops, Maestri and other famed musicians saw to it that the deserving young Tito's career was nurtured and bankrolled in order to launch what was sure to be a stellar career. After a series of appearances in small Italian opera houses, Schipa became known for his interpretation of Massenet's Werther, (one of my personal all-time favorites) which eventually became his signature role and paved the way for his debut in Rome, where at age 23 he performed for the 50th anniversary of Italy's unification - an auspicious appearance, to say the least. Luck remained with him, for he sang with Toscanini a few years later and was invited by Il Grande Maestro - Puccini himself - to sing the premier of La Rondine in Monte Carlo.

The following decade proved to be the pinnacle of his career, both musically and financially, as he made the rounds from Chicago Lyric Opera to San Francisco to the Met, garnering a reputation as a celebrity - and womanizer. He even did a series of films for Paramount Pictures in Hollywood. But when salary cuts stemming from the Depression's effects in the 30s caused Gigli and Lauri-Volpi to bail from the Met, Schipa was right there to step into their repertoire. Unfortunately for Schipa, he was also a Fascist sympathizer and became a favorite of Mussolini, appearing at political gatherings for that cause. Thus his postwar recital at New York's Carnegie Hall was sparsely attended. But he redeemed himself somewhat by founding a singing academy in Rome. He was intensely smart about his artistry, however. Though the voice had no extraordinary beauty, it was subtly nuanced and projected, and he knew exactly how to handle it in the most appealing and efficient way. Thus, by limiting himself to roles in which he was most comfortable and confident, he was able to enjoy a career lasting 55 years. Now that is truly an accomplishment - especially for a tenor!

9. GIOVANNI MARTINELLI (1885-1969)

Martinelli outdistanced them all in staying power, having given his final performance as Altoum in Turandot at age 82! Not bad for the son of a cabinet-maker born in Montangnana. Martinelli is one tenor who is after my own heart, having started out as an instrumentalist. Just the fact that he learned to play clarinet in order to join the regimental band during his obligatory military service reminds me of the wonderfully soulful clarinet playing in the amateur band I once heard performed in the Piazza Signoria in Firenze. But I digress. It was during his stint in the band that his band director, an officer in the regiment, discovered Martinelli's singing voice and sent the youth on his journey of vocal study. Not long after, while he was performing at Teatro dal Verme in Milan, Toscanini heard Martinelli and engaged him for the European premier of La Fanciulla del West. Ultimately he landed at the Met and sang there for 30 (!) seasons, following in the footsteps of Caruso, then on equal footing with Gigli, and finally all alone at the top. And he was tremendously versatile, having crossed over from the classic lyric-dramatic roles of Verdi, Puccini and Giordano to the French chestnuts of Gounod, Bizet, Meyerbeer and Delibes, among others. All in all, an accomplished and much-praised tenor for all seasons.

10. ENRICO CARUSO (1873-1921)

One might say that 1921 was a red-letter one for tenors, being the year of the birth of Di Stefano, Corelli and Valletti. (What did they put in the Pellegrino that year?) It was as if they had been born with a karmic debt to Caruso, who died that same year - although it was actually Gigli who took up Caruso's legacy. To me it is simply amazing that Caruso could have been the 18th child out of 21 - and the first to live past infancy because of a cholera outbreak - and still made it to the top of the operatic ladder. Though born to a family of singers, he still managed to capture the attention of some of the musical luminaries of the time. In spite of his father's demands that he work at the local mechanic factory, and the three years of military service required by Italian law, young Enrico's talent prevailed; and he was able to hone his initially baritone-like quality into one of the greatest tenor vocal instruments of all time. A Baron heard Caruso entertaining his fellow soldiers with song and helped train Enrico for the performance of Fedora that launched his career at Milan's Opera Lirico. A frequent performer with the lovely Geraldine Farrar at the Met, Caruso experienced health difficulties at a relatively young age. Anxious not to disappoint his countless fans, he tended to perform when he probably shouldn't have and expired tragically after much suffering. Gatti-Casazza, the Met's General Manager at the time, wrote, "We may have now and later tenors possessing some of his qualities... a beautiful voice, ...good singers or artists... but ... it will almost be impossible to have the fortune to find again another personality who possesses in himself all the artistic and moral gifts that distinguished our poor and illustrious friend."

CONCLUSION

I just wanted to make mention here of two 'contemporary' Italian favorites, Andrea Bocelli and Robert Alagna. Having performed with both of them at the Met, I must admit they are both sensitive and lyrical singers, with pleasing stage personalities. I look forward to their future accomplishments. I also wanted to mention in passing a few much-loved 'ancients': Giuseppe Anselmi, Italo Gardoni, Italo Campanini and Abele De Angeli.

Former Metropolitan Opera violinist Erica Miner turned to writing as her creative muse when injuries suffered in a car accident forced her to give up her musical career as a violinist with the Metropolitan Opera. She has won awards for her screenplays, novels and poetry, including the Fiction Prize in the Direct From The Author Book Awards for her novel, Travels With My Lovers. Erica's work has become known through book signings, interviews and speaking engagements, and she has been named a 'top-rated' lecturer for Celebrity Cruise Lines.

For more information about Miner and her upcoming projects, log onto www.ericaminer.com.