Chazere Siepi Italian singer (bass) Country: Italy

Biography of Cesare Siepi

Cesare Siepi (born 1923) is an Italian singer, best known for his roles as a bass in opera. He made his debut in 1941 in Venice, performing the role of Sparafucile in "Rigoletto". In 1943, he emigrated to Switzerland as a participant in the Resistance during World War II. Siepi returned to the stage in 1945 and successfully sang the role of Zacarias in Venice and La Scala in 1946.

In 1948, Siepi performed the role of Mephistopheles in the opera "Mefistofele" under the direction of Toscanini in a performance dedicated to the memory of the composer. From 1950 to 1974, he was a soloist at the Metropolitan Opera, making his debut as Philip II. One of his most notable roles was Don Giovanni, which he performed multiple times at the Salzburg Festival from 1953 to 1956, including under the direction of Furtwängler, a production that was captured on film.

Siepi also appeared at Covent Garden in 1950 and from 1962 to 1973. In 1959, he performed the role of Mephistopheles at the Arena di Verona Festival. He also appeared at the festival in 1980, singing the role of Ramfis in "Aida". In 1978, Siepi made his final appearance at La Scala, portraying Fiesco in Verdi's opera "Simon Boccanegra".

Among his other notable roles were Boris Godunov, Figaro in "The Marriage of Figaro", Gurnemanz in "Parsifal", and many others. In 1985, he performed the role of Roger in Verdi's "Jerusalem" in Parma. In 1994, he sang the role of Oroveso in a concert performance of "Norma" in Vienna.

Siepi's recordings include his portrayal of Mephistopheles in Boito's opera (conducted by Serafin, Decca), Philip II (conducted by Molinari-Pradelli, Foyer), and Don Giovanni (conducted by Mitropoulos, Sony). He was considered one of the leading Italian singers of the mid-20th century.