Giacomo Lauri-Volpi Italian tenor, owner of a lyric-dramatic timbre Date of Birth: 11.12.1892 Country: Spain

1. Biography of Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
2. Early Life and Training
3. Operatic Career and Fame
4. Retirement and Legacy

Biography of Giacomo Lauri-Volpi

Giacomo Lauri-Volpi was an Italian tenor known for his lyrical and dramatic voice, exceptional vocal range, and outstanding singing technique. His career spanned over 40 years, during which he performed throughout Europe and the Americas. He was born on December 11, 1892, in Lanuvio, Italy, and was orphaned at the age of 11.

Early Life and Training

After completing his secondary education at a seminary in Albano and graduating from the University of Rome La Sapienza, Lauri-Volpi began working on his vocal skills under the guidance of the renowned 19th-century baritone Antonio Cotogni at the National Academy of Santa Cecilia in Rome.

However, the outbreak of World War I in 1914 interrupted Lauri-Volpi's budding musical career, and he served in the Italian Armed Forces. After the war, he made a successful debut on the opera stage on September 2, 1919, in the role of Arturo in Vincenzo Bellini's opera "I puritani" in Viterbo, Italy, under the name Giacomo Rubini, in honor of his favorite tenor, Giovanni Battista Rubini.

Operatic Career and Fame

Just four months later, on January 3, 1920, Lauri-Volpi had another successful performance at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome, this time under his own name, in Jules Massenet's "Manon." He gained wide recognition for his performances at Italy's most famous opera house, La Scala in Milan, during the interwar period.

The pinnacle of his career came in 1929 when he was offered the role of Arnoldo in a celebratory production of Gioachino Rossini's "Guglielmo Tell" at La Scala, commemorating the opera's 100th anniversary. Lauri-Volpi also served as a leading tenor at the Metropolitan Opera in New York from 1923 to 1933, giving a total of 232 performances on its stage.

During his tenure at the Metropolitan Opera, Lauri-Volpi performed alongside Maria Jeritza in the American premiere of Puccini's "Turandot" and with Rosa Ponselle in the New York premiere of Verdi's "Luisa Miller." However, his contract with the company was prematurely terminated due to a dispute with the management over salary reductions during the Great Depression. He refused to cooperate, left New York, and returned to Italy.

In addition to his performances in Italy and the United States, Lauri-Volpi also had two seasons at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden in 1925 and 1936. By the mid-1930s, the tenor had significantly expanded his repertoire, gradually transitioning from lyric roles to more demanding dramatic parts. However, in the following decade, his marvelous voice began to show signs of aging, losing its homogeneity. Fortunately, his exciting high notes remained unaffected until the early 1950s.

Retirement and Legacy

Lauri-Volpi's last public opera performance took place in 1959, portraying the role of Manrico in Verdi's "Il Trovatore" at a theater in Rome. During the height of his fame, when his voice was bright, flexible, and resonant, he recorded a number of operatic arias and duets for European and American record companies.

After retiring from performing, Lauri-Volpi wrote and published several books about famous singers and their vocal techniques. He was a cultured and intelligent individual with a fiery temperament and strong convictions. Following World War II, he moved to Spain and passed away on March 17, 1979, in Burjasot, near Valencia, at the age of 86.