Tito Schipa (officially: Raffaele Attilio Amedeo) (Lecce ca. 2 January 1889 – New York 16 december 1965) was an Italian singer (Lyric tenor) and composer. About his exact date of birth is not a certainty. Some sources mention one of the last days of december 1888; However, this is not to find out with certainty. The official registration would be to ' technical ' reasons have been until 2 January 1889. Because his official date of birth was registered in 1889, he would also be called up for military service until a year later.
Biography[Edit][]
He studied in Milan, and made his operatic debut at the age of 21 as Alfred in Verdi's La traviata in the "Teatro Politeama Facchinetti" in Vercelli. In 1913, he performed for the first time in Buenos Aires and in Rio de Janeiro. In 1914 he performed already in the "Teatro Colon" in Rome as Ernesto in Donizetti's Don Pasqualeopera. This was one of his famous gloss roles. In the years 1915-1916, he made his debut in the Scala of Milan in the role of Vladimir in Prince Igor Aleksander Borodins opera.
At the premiere of Giacomo Puccini's opera La rondine on 27 March 1917, Schipa performed the role of Ruggero. In 1919 he laid with his debut as the Duke of Mantua in Verdi's opera Rigoletto a firm basis for a long career in the United States. A decade later waited for him a new task. Audience favourite Beniamino Gigli in 1932 returned back to Italy, and the heavy task fell to Schipa the void that Gigli in the Metropolitan Opera behind, to fill — earning him wonderfully well succeeded.
Schipa's career lasted 52 years, which exceptionally long.
Voice[Edit][]
Schipa's voice was the prototype of the Bel Canto. He had admittedly not the sweet-voiced sound of Benjamino Gigli or the powerful Mario del Monaco's, but still it was one of the most important lyric tenors Schipa from his time, partly due to his still unsurpassed renditions of Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Nemorino in The love potion and his "Ernesto" in Don Pasquale.
As Enrico Caruso's voice a is called that but once in a hundred years, so is the artful, gifted voice of Tito Schipa remained unique.