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Salvatore LicitraItalian opera singer, tenor
Country:
 Italy |
Biography of Salvatore Licitra
Salvatore Licitra was an Italian opera singer and tenor. He was born in 1968 in Bern, Switzerland, to a Sicilian family. His childhood was spent in Milan, Italy, where he began his musical education. Interestingly, Licitra stumbled upon his love for music by chance. At the age of 18, he heard a Russian song on the radio, and the catchy melody stuck with him. His mother, tired of hearing him sing the same tune over and over again, gave him a choice - either seek medical treatment or pursue a musical education. Licitra chose the latter and gave up his previous hobbies of motorcycle riding and drawing.
He studied at the Music Academy of Parma and traveled between Milan and Parma for several years. Initially, Licitra was expected to become a baritone, but the renowned Carlo Bergonzi recognized his potential as a tenor. Licitra spent several years studying under Bergonzi and also attended the academy in Busseto.
Licitra made his stage debut in 1998 in a student production of Verdi's "Un ballo in maschera" in Parma. Despite his powerful voice, achieving professional success proved challenging for him. However, his breakthrough came in May 2002 when he replaced Luciano Pavarotti at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. The audience applauded Licitra for a quarter of an hour, and the newspapers hailed him as the "heir to the Great Luciano." Although he had previously performed on various opera stages, his performance at the Metropolitan Opera solidified his reputation.
Licitra's repertoire includes roles such as Turiddu in "Cavalleria rusticana," Canio in "Pagliacci," Andrei Chenier, Dick Johnson in "La fanciulla del West," Luigi in "Il Trittico," Calaf in "Turandot," and many others. Today, numerous leading opera houses and companies desire to have Licitra perform. However, despite his vocal beauty, he faces criticism. Some argue that his technique is still imperfect, especially in the upper register, and he lacks actor's charisma.
Nevertheless, Licitra's voice is often praised for its silver-toned beauty, reminiscent of the brilliant Pavarotti. Some experts claim that he possesses the "most beautiful tenor since the young Carreras." Others attribute his popularity to the scarcity of talented tenors in opera theaters today.
There is another perspective on the shortcomings of Licitra's technique. Due to the overwhelming demand and popularity, he has little time to refine his voice. Constantly traveling between countries and opera stages, he bears the weight of being one of the leading tenors in Italian dramatic repertoire. The term "dramatic" also sparks debates regarding Licitra.
Interestingly, Licitra confidently shares his views on the modern opera world. He believes that when an opera singer holds a microphone, it marks the beginning of the end. He also criticizes the audience's fascination with performers' personal lives rather than their vocal abilities, referring to it as a "crisis in opera."
As for his own perspective on success, Licitra once stated in an interview, "We've seen too much Pavarotti in the past years. And too much Callas. It's better to say: I am Licitra."
