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Mario SereniItalian operatic baritone
Date of Birth: 25.03.1928
Country:  Italy |
Content:
Biography of Mario Sereni
Mario Sereni was born in 1928 in Perugia, Italy. He attended the renowned Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome and continued his vocal education at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena, where he was mentored by Mario Basiola.
Professional Career
Sereni's professional career as an opera baritone began in 1953 when his talent was discovered by the audience at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. In November 1957, he made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera, where he performed the role of Gérard in Umberto Giordano's "Andrea Chénier". Sereni's stage life at the Metropolitan Opera was long-lasting, spanning 27 seasons, during which he sang almost all the baritone roles in the most famous operas. His repertoire included works such as "Ernani", "Luisa Miller", "Il trovatore", "La traviata", "Un ballo in maschera", "Don Carlo", "Aida", and others. He also appeared in "La Gioconda", "Cavalleria rusticana", "Manon Lescaut", "La bohème", "Madama Butterfly", and "Lucia di Lammermoor". Sereni was a frequent guest at opera houses in Chicago, San Francisco, and Dallas. He also gained popularity at the Vienna State Opera, La Scala in Milan, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in London, and the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires.
Achievements
Despite his talent and considerable professional success, Sereni always remained in the shadow of more charismatic baritones of his time. He never achieved the same level of popularity as Leonard Warren, Robert Merrill, Ettore Bastianini, and Piero Cappuccilli, who was adored by the public and referred to as the "prince of baritones". However, Sereni's numerous recordings preserved the sound of his beautiful baritone, confident technique, and subtle sense of style.
Sereni's most significant success is considered to be his portrayal of Germont in "La traviata" in 1958, where he shared the stage with renowned artists Maria Callas and Alfredo Kraus. This version of the opera was nicknamed "Traviata of Lisbon" by the audience. In 1964, Sereni participated in another version of "La traviata" conducted by Herbert von Karajan at La Scala, alongside Anna Moffo and Renato Cioni.
