Carlo Bergonzi facts for kids
Carlo Bergonzi (born July 13, 1924 – died July 25, 2014) was a famous Italian opera singer. He was known as a tenor, which is a high male singing voice. Bergonzi was especially good at singing in Italian operas, particularly those by the famous composer Giuseppe Verdi. People admired his amazing musical skills and his elegant singing style.
A Life in Music
Carlo Bergonzi was born in a small town called Vidalenzo, near Parma, Italy. He studied music in Parma. His first time singing on stage was in 1948. He performed in Lecce as a character named Figaro in the opera Il Barbiere di Siviglia. Back then, he sang as a baritone, which is a lower male singing voice than a tenor.
Becoming a Tenor
After his first performances, Carlo Bergonzi studied more to change his singing voice. He trained himself to become a tenor. His first performance as a tenor was in 1951 in Bari. He sang the main role in an opera called Andrea Chénier.
That same year was special because it marked 100 years since Giuseppe Verdi's death. To honor Verdi, Bergonzi sang in many of Verdi's operas on Italian radio. Some of these operas included I Due Foscari, Giovanna d'Arco, and Simon Boccanegra.
Singing Around the World
Carlo Bergonzi soon became very popular. He sang in some of the most famous opera houses in the world:
- In 1953, he sang at La Scala in Milan, Italy.
- In 1955, he performed at the Chicago Lyric Opera in the United States.
- In 1956, he made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.
- In 1962, he sang at the Royal Opera House in London, England.
Famous Roles and Recordings
Bergonzi sang many important roles in Italian operas. Some of his well-known characters included:
- Nemorino in L'elisir d'amore
- Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor
- The Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto
- Alfredo in La traviata
- Radames in Aida
- Rodolfo in La bohème
- Cavaradossi in Tosca
- Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly
He also made many recordings of his performances. One special achievement was recording all of Verdi's tenor arias. An "aria" is a song for one voice in an opera. This collection of recordings is still unique today.
Carlo Bergonzi passed away in Milan, Italy, in 2014. He is remembered as one of the greatest tenors of his time.
