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Antonio PaoliPuerto Rican tenor
Date of Birth: 14.04.1874
Country:  USA |
The life and career of Antonio Paoli
Puerto Rican Tenor, Known as the "King of Tenors and Tenor of Kings"Antonio Paoli was born on April 14, 1871, in Ponce, Puerto Rico. He came from a Corsican family, his father Domingo Paoli Marcatentti and mother Amalia Marcano Intriago. His mother was originally from Margarita Island, Venezuela, while his father was a wealthy landowner. However, their union was disapproved by Amalia's father, so they fled to the Dominican Republic and later settled in Puerto Rico. They were given a house in Ponce, which became the ideal place for Antonio's musical upbringing.
As a child, Antonio's parents often took him to the La Perla Theater, located near their home. It was there that he saw the performance of Italian tenor Pietro Baccei in "Il Trovatore" and knew that he wanted to become a singer when he grew up. His parents supported his interests and enrolled him in vocal lessons with Ramon Marin. His sister, Amalia Paoli, also became a soprano singer and performed at La Perla Theater.
In 1883, when Antonio was just 12 years old, his parents passed away, and he moved to Spain with his sister. Amalia, who was under the patronage of Isabel de Borbon, Princess of Asturias, helped Antonio secure two royal scholarships in 1884. With these scholarships, he received an excellent education, studying at the Royal Monastery of El Escorial and graduating with honors from the military academy in Toledo in 1892. He then became a personal bodyguard for the young King Alfonso XIII but still harbored a dream of becoming a singer.
In 1897, Antonio became a student at the academy of La Scala Theater in Milan, Italy. After gaining success in Italy and Spain, he made his debut in Paris on April 26, 1899, singing in Gioacchino Rossini's opera "William Tell." The Parisian newspapers praised his performance, declaring him the best tenor in France. This marked the beginning of Antonio Paoli's illustrious career as one of the greatest operatic singers of all time.
From 1900 to 1914, Paoli toured Europe, North and South America, Africa, and Asia, performing for royalty and prominent figures such as Nicholas II of Russia and Pope Pius X. However, his career came to a halt with the outbreak of World War I. The closure of European opera houses and a loss of his magical voice, coupled with poor investments, led to a decline in his fortune. During the war, Paoli spent time in Spain, a neutral country, and earned a living as a professional boxer.
Fortunately, after the war, Paoli regained his voice with the help of doctors and vocal exercises. He returned to the international opera scene, but eventually decided to settle in Puerto Rico with his sister Amalia. They lived in San Juan, where Amalia opened a singing school. In his final years, Paoli dedicated himself to teaching young singers and establishing a conservatory in San Juan. Sadly, he did not live to see his dream fully realized.
Antonio Paoli passed away on August 24, 1946, at the age of 75, after battling cancer. He was initially buried in San Juan but later reinterred in a mausoleum in his hometown of Ponce. His legacy as one of the most exceptional opera singers of all time and the first Puerto Rican artist to achieve international fame lives on.
