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La Scala is an opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the Nuovo Regio Ducale Teatro alla Scala. The premiere performance was Antonio Salieri's Europa riconosciuta.
Roberto Alagna is a French operatic tenor. He obtained French citizenship in 1981, while also retaining his previous Italian citizenship.
Franco Corelli was an Italian tenor who had a major international opera career between 1951 and 1976. Associated in particular with the spinto and dramatic tenor roles of the Italian repertory, he was celebrated universally for his powerhouse voice, electrifying top notes, clear timbre, passionate singing and remarkable performances. Dubbed the "prince of tenors", audiences were enchanted by his handsome features and charismatic stage presence. He had a long and fruitful partnership with the Metropolitan Opera in New York City between 1961 and 1975. He also appeared on the stages of most of the major opera houses in Europe and with opera companies throughout North America.
In theater, an understudy, referred to in opera as cover or covering, is a performer who learns the lines and blocking or choreography of a regular actor, actress, or other performer in a play. Should the regular actor or actress be unable to appear on stage because of illness, injury, emergencies or death, the understudy takes over the part. Usually when the understudy takes over, the theater manager announces the cast change prior to the start of the performance. Coined in 1874, the term understudy has more recently generally been applied only to performers who can back up a role, but still regularly perform in another role.
Carlo Bergonzi was an Italian operatic tenor. Although he performed and recorded some bel canto and verismo roles, he was above all associated with the operas of Giuseppe Verdi, including many of the composer's lesser known works he helped revive. He sang more than forty other roles throughout his career.
Marcelo Raúl Álvarez is an Argentine lyric tenor who achieved international success starting in the mid-1990s.
Nicola Martinucci is an Italian opera singer, particularly noted for his performances in the spinto tenor of roles Calaf in Turandot, Radamès in Aida, and the title role in Andrea Chénier.
Daniel Oren is an Israeli conductor.
Piotr Beczała is a Polish operatic tenor.
Francesco Merli was an Italian opera singer, particularly associated with heavy roles such as Otello, Canio and Calaf. He ranks as one of the finest dramatic tenors of the inter-war period.
Mirto Picchi was an Italian dramatic tenor, particularly associated with the Italian repertory, and with contemporary works.
Emilio De Marchi was an Italian operatic tenor. He had a significant career during the late 19th and early 20th century, appearing at major theatres on both sides of the Atlantic. In 1900, he entered the annals of musical history as the creator of the role of Cavaradossi in Giacomo Puccini's Tosca. Today, however, he has largely been forgotten because, unlike many of his contemporaries, he did not leave a legacy of commercial gramophone or phonograph recordings.
Ernesto Nicolini was a French operatic tenor, particularly associated with the French and Italian repertories.
Vincenzo La Scola was an Italian tenor and flute player who had a successful international opera career for more than 25 years. He was particularly admired for his portrayals in operas by Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini, Gaetano Donizetti, and Vincenzo Bellini. He also achieved success as a crossover artist, particularly in his many collaborations with singer-songwriter Cliff Richard and for his solo crossover album for EMI, Vita Mia (1999). In 2000 he was made a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, and from 2004 until his sudden death in 2011 he served as principal teacher and artistic director of the Accademia Verdi Toscanini in Parma.
Nicola Zerola was an Italian operatic tenor who had an active international career from 1898-1928. He began his career in his native country, but was soon heard in concerts and operas internationally during the first years of the 20th century. In 1908 he relocated to the United States where he was active with important opera companies in New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia up into the late 1920s. Between 1909 and 1911 he recorded 13 issued sides for the Victor Talking Machine Company at their Camden, New Jersey studios. He also made 11 solo recordings and one duet for the Gramophone and Typewriter Company in England in 1910-1911.
Riccardo Massi is an Italian operatic tenor who has performed at the prestigious Italian theaters Giuseppe Verdi Theatre and La Scala. He became known for his role as Mario Cavaradossi in Tosca, which he performed in autumn of 2011 at the Bavarian State Opera and performed again at the Berlin Opera Theatre in November of that year. His United States debut was in February 2012 as Radames in Aida at the Metropolitan Opera following by another summer performance that year. In the autumn of 2012, he sang in Il trovatore staged by the Canadian Opera in Toronto and in February 2013 sang Calaf in Turandot produced by the Royal Swedish Opera. He also became known for his performance as Don Alvaro in La forza del destino at the Australian Opera and the same year sang in another Aida production, this time at the Michigan Opera Theatre. From 2013 to 2014 he performed at the Royal Opera House and as Cavaradossi at the Liceu in Barcelona. Later on, he returned to Royal Swedish Opera where he sang the title role in Andrea Chenier and then Radames at the Houston Grand Opera. At the Opernhaus Zurich, he sang Calaf in December 2015. He sang Calaf again at the Teatro Degollado in Guadalajara, Mexico in November/December 2018.
Aleksandrs Antoņenko is a Latvian tenor who specializes in the dramatic repertoire, and has appeared at the Metropolitan Opera and La Scala.
Stefano La Colla is an Italian tenor who has given recitals and performed in opera internationally.
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References
- "Booed tenor quits La Scala's Aida". BBC News Online. 11 December 2006.
- Wakin, Daniel J. (11 December 2006). "Stepping in for a Star, but Not Feeling Like One". The New York Times .
