Ruggero RAIMONDI

Raimondi's voice is actually somewhat closer to a bass-baritone than a true bass, but this did not prevent him from successfully singing most of the great bass roles -- King Philip in Don Carlo, Fiesco in Simon Boccanegra, Boris Godunov, and Silva in Ernani being his most celebrated -- as well as the roles more associated with bass-baritones, such as Escamillo, Mozart's Figaro, Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte, and Don Giovanni, and even a concert version of Scarpia. He is also quite celebrated as a singing actor, and has occasionally directed operas.
His voice matured early into its adult timbre, and at the age of 15, he auditioned for Francesco Molinari-Pradelli, who encouraged him in hopes for an operatic career. He began vocal studies with Ettore Campogalliani, and was accepted at age 16 as a stude...