Ugo Savarese Italian operatic baritone Date of Birth: 02.12.1912 Country: Italy

Biography of Ugo Savarese

Ugo Savarese was an Italian opera baritone, whose name was associated with the repertoire of Italian opera composers. He was born on December 2, 1912 in Naples. Savarese began singing in 1930 at the Conservatorio San Pietro a Majella in Naples, under the guidance of Maestro Conte. His professional debut took place in 1934 at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, where Savarese started with small roles. His first major role came in 1938 as Silvio in "Pagliacci," followed by Rigoletto and Giorgio Germont in "La traviata."

Like most European artists of his generation, Ugo Savarese's opera career was interrupted by military service during World War II. He had to resume his performances after being a prisoner of a German prisoner-of-war camp. After the war, the Italian baritone's career took off. As a guest artist, he performed at Opéra-Comique and Opéra Garnier in Paris, Teatro Nacional de São Carlos in Lisbon, Liceu in Barcelona, Teatro Real in Madrid, as well as in London, Monte Carlo, Zurich, Brussels, and other cities. His performances in Giuseppe Verdi's operas were especially acclaimed. Savarese probably sang most of the Italian baritone repertoire, including works such as "Macbeth," "Il trovatore," "Un ballo in maschera," "Aida," "La Gioconda," "Fedora," "Tosca," "La fanciulla del West," "Andrea Chénier," and others.

Although Ugo Savarese did not achieve the same level of fame as some of his contemporaries, including Tito Gobbi, Giuseppe Valdengo, and Gino Bechi, his numerous recordings demonstrate excellent technique and solid vocal artistry. He sang and recorded with many opera stars, such as Renata Tebaldi, Maria Callas, and Carla Gavazzi. Savarese continued to perform until the early 1970s and then taught from 1974 to 1996. He passed away on December 19, 1997 in Genoa.