Carlo Meliciani
ItalyEarly Life and Career
Carlo Meliciani was born in 1929. His career began in the mid-1950s when he performed with an Italian opera company touring the United Kingdom. In the 1958-1959 season, Meliciani was invited to the Teatro Regio in Turin, where he sang Amonsaro in 'Aida' and Don Carlo in 'Ernani.'
Debut at La Scala
In 1959, Meliciani joined the Teatro alla Scala opera company, debuting as Ping in 'Turandot.' He remained a permanent member of the company for the next two decades, adding roles such as Alfio in 'Cavalleria Rusticana,' Alfonso XI in 'La favorite,' Count di Luna in 'Il trovatore,' Czernikowski in 'Boris Godunov,' Don Carlo di Vargas in 'La forza del destino,' Renato in 'Un ballo in maschera,' Enrico Ashton in 'Lucia di Lammermoor,' Posa in 'Don Carlo,' Scarpia in 'Tosca,' Sonora in 'La fanciulla del West,' Stárek in 'Jenůfa,' and the title roles in 'Nabucco' and 'Rigoletto.' Meliciani also participated in the world premieres of Ildebrando Pizzetti's 'Il calzare d'argento' in 1961 and Guido Turchi's 'Il buon soldato Svejk' in 1962.
International Guest Performances
Meliciani's career extended beyond La Scala, and he frequently appeared as a guest soloist in major Italian theaters. In 1960, he sang Rigoletto at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome and reprised the role at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo the following year and the Teatro Comunale in Florence in 1965. In 1973, he sang Paolo in 'Simon Boccanegra' at the Arena di Verona festival. Meliciani also performed at the Teatro Donizetti, Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi, and opera houses in Mantua, Cremona, Rovigo, Piacenza, and numerous others. During this period, Meliciani sang Gérard in 'Andrea Chénier,' Tonio in 'Pagliacci,' and the King's herald in 'Lohengrin.'
International Acclaim
Meliciani's international career spanned several continents. In 1961, he performed at the Liceu in Barcelona, Wiesbaden Opera House, Greek National Opera, and Théâtre de Beaulieu in Lausanne. The following year, he sang at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City. Meliciani's American debut occurred in November 1968 with the Philadelphia Grand Opera Company, where he sang Amonsaro. He returned to Philadelphia to sing Rigoletto in 1970 and Amonsaro in 1970 and 1971. He also appeared with the Connecticut Opera in 1970.
