Carlo Bergonzi

Italian tenor Carlo Bergonzi was born at Vidalenzo near Parma on 13 July 1924, and began studying voice as a baritone at Parma Conservatory with Ettore Campogalliani. During World War II he was emprisoned in a German camp, but returned to Italy when the war ended and studied at Parma's Boito Conservatory, retraining his voice and first appearing as a tenor in the title role of Andrea Chénier in 1951 at Teatro Petruzelli in Bari.

He made his debut at La Scala and also in London in 1953, and first appeared in the USA two years later with Lyric Opera of Chicago, then sang at New York Metropolitan Opera in 1956.

He had a very busy career in opera houses and recording studios in the 1960s and 70s, then began to concentrate on recital work in the 1980s, retired in 1996 and passed away on 25 July 2014, aged ninety.