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Marcello GiordaniItalian opera singer, tenor
Date of Birth: 25.01.1963
Country:  Italy |
Content:
Biography of Marcello Giordani
Marcello Giordani is an Italian opera singer and tenor who gained fame for his performances in leading roles in opera productions across Europe and the United States. He is particularly renowned for his exceptional collaboration with the Metropolitan Opera in the United States, where he has performed in more than 170 productions since his debut in 1993. Described as "possibly the greatest tenor of his time" by Opera News in March 2008, Giordani has an extensive opera repertoire, including roles in famous operas such as "Turandot," "Requiem," "Eugene Onegin," "Faust," "Romeo and Juliet," "Madama Butterfly," "Carmen," and many others. He has received international acclaim as one of the most significant tenors on the operatic stage of our time.
Early Life and Career
Marcello Giordani was born in 1963 in the small Sicilian town of Augusta, Italy. His father owned the main gas station in the city, and his mother was a homemaker. From a young age, Giordani displayed a talent for singing and sang in the church choir alongside taking private lessons. At the age of 19, he quit his job at a bank and moved to Milan, where he studied vocal music. His professional opera debut took place in 1986 when he portrayed the Duke in Verdi's "Rigoletto" at the annual Spoleto Music Festival in Spoleto.
Two years later, Giordani made his debut at Milan's La Scala, singing the role of Rodolfo in Puccini's "La Boheme." By 1988, he had performed in Italy and Europe, and he made his American debut in the same year, singing the role of Nadir in Bizet's "The Pearl Fishers" with the Portland Opera company. This was followed by contracts with other American opera companies, such as San Francisco Opera, Seattle Opera, Los Angeles Opera, and Philadelphia Opera. In 1988, while performing in Lucerne, Switzerland, Giordani met his future wife, Vilma. They got married two years later, and they currently reside in New York and Sicily with their two sons.
Continued Success and Contributions
In 1994, Giordani faced vocal problems that worsened. However, he chose not to cancel contracts and continued to sing while also undergoing retraining under the guidance of Bill Schuman. In 1995, he performed at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, singing the role of Alfredo in Verdi's "La Traviata" under the baton of Georg Solti. In 1997, he returned to Covent Garden once again, this time under the direction of Georg Solti. This work with Solti became a great support for Giordani during a challenging period in his career.
In 1999, Giordani made his debut at the Munich Philharmonic, performing in Gounod's "Faust." In 2000, he collaborated with the Opera Orchestra of New York (OONY), singing in Donizetti's "Lucrezia Borgia." In 2001, Giordani became the first Italian in the history of the Metropolitan Opera to portray the role of Lensky in Tchaikovsky's "Eugene Onegin." Following this, his collaboration with the Metropolitan Opera, initially sporadic, solidified and flourished.
In 2002, The New York Times commented, "Marcello Giordani sang like a god," after his performance in Cilea's "Adriana Lecouvreur." In 2006, Giordani celebrated the twentieth anniversary of his professional debut with a special concert in his honor at the Teatro Bellini in Catania.
Giordani had the honor of singing "Panis Angelicus" in front of Pope Benedict XVI during his visit to New York in April 2008 at Yankee Stadium, an experience he described as a day he will never forget.
In 2010, Marcello Giordani established the Marcello Giordani Foundation to support young opera singers at the beginning of their careers. The first annual Marcello Giordani Vocal Competition will take place in Sicily this year.
