What is Carlo Bergonzi?
'''Carlo Bergonzi''' (July 13, 1924 – 25 July 2014)<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lastampa.it/2014/07/26/spettacoli/addio-a-carlo-bergonzi-tenore-verdiano-del-secolo-HMBdgB0JNVB9W6Jbbr8GsK/pagina.html |title=Addio a Carlo Bergonzi, tenore verdiano del secolo |date=26 July 2014 |publisher=La Stampa |language=it |access-date=26 July 2014}}</ref> was an [[Italians|Italian]] [[tenor]]. He performed in Italian operas, especially in the works of [[Giuseppe Verdi]]. He was noted for his very good musical skills and style. ==Life and career== Bergonzi was born in [[Vidalenzo]], near [[Parma]], Italy. He studied in Parma with Grandini. His first performance was in 1948 in [[Lecce]], as Figaro in ''[[Il Barbiere di Siviglia]]''. For that, he sang as a [[baritone]]. After more studies, he retrained himself as a tenor. His first performance as a tenor was in 1951 in ''[[Bari]]'', as [[Andrea Chenier]]. That same year, on the 100th anniversary of Verdi's death, he sang on Italian radio in several Verdi works, such as ''I Due Foscari'', ''Giovanna d'Arco'', ''[[Simon Boccanegra]]'', etc. He first sang at [[La Scala]] in Milan in 1953, at the [[Chicago]] Lyric Opera in 1955, the [[Metropolitan Opera]] in New York in 1956, and the [[Royal Opera House]] in [[London]] in 1962. He sung most of the leading roles in Italian opera, notably [[L'elisir d'amore|Nemorino]], [[Lucia di Lammermoor|Edgardo]], [[Ernani]], [[Macbeth (opera)|Macduff]], [[Rigoletto|Duke of Mantua]], [[La traviata|Alfredo]], [[Un ballo in maschera|Riccardo]], [[La forza del destino|Alvaro]], [[Don Carlos|Carlo]], [[Aida|Radames]], [[La Gioconda|Enzo]], [[Cavalleria rusticana|Turriddu]], [[Manon Lescaut|des Grieux]], [[La bohème|Rodolfo]], [[Tosca|Cavaradossi]], [[Madama Butterfly|Pinkerton]], etc. He made many recordings, notably a recording of Verdi's complete tenor arias. This remains a unique achievement. He died in [[Milan]].{{fact|date=April 2020}} ==References== {{reflist}} ==Sources== * ''The Metropolitan Opera Encyclopedia'', edited by David Ham