Giuseppe Taddei (26 June 1916 – 2 June 2010) was an Italian

baritone A baritone is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the bass and the tenor voice-types. The term originates from the Greek (), meaning "heavy sounding". Composers typically write music for this voice in the r ...

, who, during his career, performed multiple operas composed by numerous composers. Taddei was born in

Genoa Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the List of cities in Italy, sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of the 2011 Italian ce ...

, Italy, and studied in Rome, where he made his professional debut in 1936 as the Herald in

Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most op ...

's ''

Lohengrin Lohengrin () is a character in Germany, German Arthurian literature. The son of Percival, Parzival (Percival), he is a knight of the Holy Grail sent in a boat pulled by swans to rescue a maiden who can never ask his identity. His story, which fi ...

''. He sang at the

Rome Opera The Teatro dell'Opera di Roma (Rome Opera House) is an opera house in Rome, Italy. Originally opened in November 1880 as the 2,212 seat ''Costanzi Theatre'', it has undergone several changes of name as well modifications and improvements. The pre ...

until he was conscripted into the army in 1942. After the war, he resumed his opera career and appeared for two seasons at the

Vienna State Opera The Vienna State Opera (, ) is an opera house and opera company based in Vienna, Austria. The 1,709-seat Renaissance Revival venue was the first major building on the Vienna Ring Road. It was built from 1861 to 1869 following plans by August S ...

. He made his debut in London in 1947, at the Cambridge Theatre. The following year, 1948, saw his debut at the

Salzburg Festival The Salzburg Festival (german: Salzburger Festspiele) is a prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920. It is held each summer (for five weeks starting in late July) in the Austrian town of Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amad ...

La Scala La Scala (, , ; abbreviation in Italian of the official name ) is a famous opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the ' (New Royal-Ducal Theatre alla Scala). The premiere performan ...

in Milan, and the

Teatro di San Carlo The Real Teatro di San Carlo ("Royal Theatre of Saint Charles"), as originally named by the Bourbon monarchy but today known simply as the Teatro (di) San Carlo, is an opera house in Naples, Italy, connected to the Royal Palace and adjacent t ...

Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...

. His American debut took place at the

San Francisco Opera San Francisco Opera (SFO) is an American opera company founded in 1923 by Gaetano Merola (1881–1953) based in San Francisco, California. History Gaetano Merola (1923–1953) Merola's road to prominence in the Bay Area began in 1906 when he ...

in 1957, followed by his appearance with

Lyric Opera of Chicago Lyric Opera of Chicago is one of the leading opera companies in the United States. It was founded in Chicago in 1954, under the name 'Lyric Theatre of Chicago' by Carol Fox, Nicola Rescigno and Lawrence Kelly, with a season that included Maria ...

in 1959. He sang regularly at the

Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal Op ...

in London from 1960 to 1967. Taddei was equally effective in comedy and drama. His acting repertoire included the two Figaros, from ''

The Marriage of Figaro ''The Marriage of Figaro'' ( it, Le nozze di Figaro, links=no, ), K. 492, is a ''commedia per musica'' (opera buffa) in four acts composed in 1786 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with an Italian libretto written by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It premie ...

'' and ''

The Barber of Seville ''The Barber of Seville, or The Useless Precaution'' ( it, Il barbiere di Siviglia, ossia L'inutile precauzione ) is an ''opera buffa'' in two acts composed by Gioachino Rossini with an Italian libretto by Cesare Sterbini. The libretto was base ...

'', both Leporello and Don Giovanni in ''

Don Giovanni ''Don Giovanni'' (; K. 527; Vienna (1788) title: , literally ''The Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni'') is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. Its subject is a centuries-old Spanis ...

'', both Belcore and Dulcamara in ''

L'elisir d'amore ''L'elisir d'amore'' (''The Elixir of Love'', ) is a ' (opera buffa) in two acts by the Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti. Felice Romani wrote the Italian libretto, after Eugène Scribe's libretto for Daniel Auber's ' (1831). The opera premiere ...

'', as well as Don Carlo in ''

Ernani ''Ernani'' is an operatic ''dramma lirico'' in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, based on the 1830 play ''Hernani (drama), Hernani'' by Victor Hugo. Verdi was commissioned by the Teatro La Fenice in V ...

'', Macbeth in ''

Macbeth ''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...

'', Rigoletto in ''

Rigoletto ''Rigoletto'' is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The Italian libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on the 1832 play ''Le roi s'amuse'' by Victor Hugo. Despite serious initial problems with the Austrian censors who had cont ...

'', Amonasro in ''

Aida ''Aida'' (or ''Aïda'', ) is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, it was commissioned by Cairo's Khedivial Opera House and had its première there on 24 December ...

'', Iago in ''

Otello ''Otello'' () is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on Shakespeare's play ''Othello''. It was Verdi's penultimate opera, first performed at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, on 5 February 1887. Th ...

'', Falstaff in ''

Falstaff Sir John Falstaff is a fictional character who appears in three plays by William Shakespeare and is eulogised in a fourth. His significance as a fully developed character is primarily formed in the plays '' Henry IV, Part 1'' and '' Part 2'', w ...

'', Barnaba in '' La Gioconda'', Gérard in ''

Andrea Chénier ''Andrea Chénier'' () is a verismo opera in four acts by Umberto Giordano, set to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica, and first performed on 28 March 1896 at La Scala, Milan. The story is based loosely on the life of the French poet Andr ...

'', and Scarpia in ''

Tosca ''Tosca'' is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It premiered at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, Teatro Costanzi in Rome on 14 January 1900. The work, based on Victorien Sardou's 1 ...

'', among others. His vocal longevity allowed him to continue singing into old age, including a debut at the

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera (commonly known as the Met) is an American opera company based in New York City, resident at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, currently situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The company is operat ...

, on 25 September 1985, in the title role of ''Falstaff'', at the age of 69. Taddei left many recordings, notably as Figaro in ''The Marriage of Figaro'' and Leporello in ''Don Giovanni'' in the

Carlo Maria Giulini Carlo Maria Giulini (; 9 May 1914 – 14 June 2005) was an Italian conductor. From the age of five, when he began to play the violin, Giulini's musical education was expanded when he began to study at Italy's foremost conservatory, the Conserva ...

renditions, as Macbeth, opposite

Birgit Nilsson Märta Birgit Nilsson (17 May 1918 – 25 December 2005) was a celebrated Swedish dramatic soprano. Although she sang a wide répertoire of operatic and vocal works, Nilsson was best known for her performances in the operas of Richard Wagner a ...

, in ''Macbeth'', conducted by

Thomas Schippers Thomas Schippers (9 March 1930 – 16 December 1977) was an American conductor. He was highly regarded for his work in opera. Biography Of Dutch ancestry and son of the owner of a large appliance store, Schippers was born in Portage, Michigan ...

, and as Scarpia in ''Tosca'' and as Falstaff in ''Falstaff'', both conducted by

Herbert von Karajan Herbert von Karajan (; born Heribert Ritter von Karajan; 5 April 1908 – 16 July 1989) was an Austrian conductor. He was principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic for 34 years. During the Nazi era, he debuted at the Salzburg Festival, wit ...

Discography

''Year – Opera – Composer – Director – Singer – Character'' 1940–1949 *1941 – ''Andrea Chénier'' (Giordano) – Oliviero de Fabritiis: Giuseppe Taddei (Pietro Fléville) *1941 – ''Andrea Chénier'' (Giordano) – Oliviero de Fabritiis: Giuseppe Taddei (Fouquier-Tinville) *1949 – ''Gianni Schicchi'' (Puccini) – Alfredo Simonetto: Giuseppe Taddei (Gianni Schicchi) 1950–1959 *1950 – ''Il barbiere di Siviglia'' (Rossini) – Fernando Previtali: Giuseppe Taddei (Figaro) *1950 – ''Falstaff'' (Verdi) – Mario Rossi: Giuseppe Taddei (John Falstaff) *1951 – ''Ernani'' (Verdi) – Fernando Previtali: Giuseppe Taddei (Don Carlo) *1951 – ''La traviata'' (Verdi) – Oliviero de Fabritiis: Giuseppe Taddei (Giorgio Germont) *1951 – ''Aida'' (Verdi) – Oliviero de Fabritiis: Giuseppe Taddei (Amonasro) *1951 – ''La Bohème'' (Puccini) – Gabriele Santini: Giuseppe Taddei (Marcello) *1952 – ''Guillaume Tell'' (Rossini) – Mario Rossi: Giuseppe Taddei (Guglielmo Tell) *1952 – ''Adriana Lecouvreur'' (Cilèa) – Gabriele Santini: Giuseppe Taddei (Michonnet) *1952 – ''La traviata'' (Verdi) – Gabriele Santini: Giuseppe Taddei (Giorgio Germont) *1953 – ''Madama Butterfly'' (Puccini) – Angelo Questa: Giuseppe Taddei (Sharpless) *1953 – ''Linda di Chamounix'' (Donizetti) – Alfredo Simonetto: Giuseppe Taddei (Antonio) *1953 – ''L'elisir d'amore'' (Donizetti) – Gianandrea Gavazzeni: Giuseppe Taddei (Belcore) *1953 – ''Die Zauberflöte'' (Mozart) – Herbert von Karajan: Giuseppe Taddei (Papageno) *1953 – ''Eugen Onegin'' (Tchaikovsky) – Nino Sanzogno: Giuseppe Taddei (Evgeni Oneguin) *1954 – ''Tosca'' (Puccini) – Oliviero de Fabritiis: Giuseppe Taddei (Baron Scarpia) *1954 – ''Rigoletto'' (Verdi) – Angelo Questa: Giuseppe Taddei (Rigoletto) *1955 – ''Otello'' (Verdi) – Franco Capuana: Giuseppe Taddei (Yago) *1954 – ''L'elisir d'amore'' (Donizetti) – Gianandrea Gavazzeni: Giuseppe Taddei (Il dottor Dulcamara) DVD *1955 – ''Don Giovanni'' (Mozart) – Max Rudolf: Giuseppe Taddei (Don Giovanni) *1955 – ''Les Huguenots'' (Meyerbeer) – Tullio Serafin: Giuseppe Taddei (Nevers) *1955 – ''Andrea Chénier'' (Giordano) – Angelo Questa: Giuseppe Taddei (Charles Gérard) *1955 – ''Tosca'' (Puccini) – Vincenzo Belleza: Giuseppe Taddei (Baron Scarpia) *1956 – ''Moïse et Pharaon'' (Rossini) – Tullio Serafin: Giuseppe Taddei (Faraone) *1956 – ''Linda di Chamounix'' (Donizetti) – Tullio Serafin: Giuseppe Taddei (Antonio) *1956 – ''Falstaff'' (Verdi) – Tullio Serafin: Giuseppe Taddei (John Falstaff) DVD *1957 – ''I vespri siciliani'' (Verdi) – Tullio Serafin: Giuseppe Taddei (Guido de Monforte) *1957 – ''Moïse et Pharaon'' (Rossini) – Tullio Serafin: Giuseppe Taddei (Faraone) *1957 – ''Tosca'' (Puccini) – Tullio Serafin: Giuseppe Taddei (Baron Scarpia) *1958 – ''Otello'' (Verdi) – Thomas Beecham: Giuseppe Taddei (Iago) *1958 – ''L'elisir d'amore'' (Donizetti) – Tullio Serafin: Giuseppe Taddei (Il dottor Dulcamara) *1959 – ''Le nozze di Figaro'' (Mozart) – Carlo Maria Giulini: Giuseppe Taddei (Figaro) *1959 – ''Don Giovanni'' (Mozart) – Carlo Maria Giulini: Giuseppe Taddei (Leporello) 1960–1969 *1960 – ''Macbeth II'' (Verdi) – Vittorio Gui: Giuseppe Taddei (Macbeth) *1960 – ''Les Pêcheurs de perles'' (Bizet) – Armando La Rosa Parodi: Giuseppe Taddei (Zurga) *1961 – ''La forza del destino'' (Verdi) – Fernando Previtali: Giuseppe Taddei (Don Carlos de Vargas) *1961 – ''Le nozze di Figaro'' (Mozart) – Carlo Maria Giulini: Giuseppe Taddei (Figaro) *1962 – ''Tosca'' (Puccini) – Herbert von Karajan: Giuseppe Taddei (Baron Scarpia) *1962 – ''Tosca'' (Puccini) – Carlo Felice Cillario: Giuseppe Taddei (Baron Scarpia) *1962 – ''Così fan tutte'' (Mozart) – Karl Böhm: Giuseppe Taddei (Guglielmo) *1962 – ''Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg'' (Wagner) – Lovro Von Matacic: Giuseppe Taddei (Sachs) *1963 – ''La Bohème'' (Puccini) – Herbert von Karajan: Giuseppe Taddei (Schaunard) *1964 – ''Macbeth II'' (Verdi) – Thomas Schippers: Giuseppe Taddei (Macbeth) *1964 – ''Knias Igor'' (Borodin) – Armando La Rosa Parodi: Giuseppe Taddei (Igor Sviatoslavich) *1965 – ''I Pagliacci'' (Leoncavallo) – Herbert von Karajan: Giuseppe Taddei (Tonio) *1966 – ''Simon Boccanegra'' (Verdi) – Giuseppe Patanè: Giuseppe Taddei (Simon Bocanegra) *1967 – ''L'elisir d'amore'' (Donizetti) – Gianandrea Gavazzeni: Giuseppe Taddei (Belcore) DVD *1967 – ''L'elisir d'amore'' (Donizetti) – Gianandrea Gavazzeni: Giuseppe Taddei (Belcore) *1968 – ''Ernani'' (Verdi) – Manno Wolf-Ferrari: Giuseppe Taddei (Don Carlo) *1969 – ''Belisario'' (Donizetti) – Gianandrea Gavazzeni: Giuseppe Taddei (Belisario) 1970–1979 *1973 – ''Caterina Cornaro'' (Donizetti) – Alfredo Silipigni: Giuseppe Taddei (Lusignano) *1974 – ''Luisa Miller'' (Verdi) – Alberto Erede: Giuseppe Taddei (Miller) *1974 – ''Guillaume Tell'' (Rossini) – Jacques Delacôte: Giuseppe Taddei (Guglielmo Tell) *1974 – ''Un giorno di regno ossial Il finto Stanislao'' (Verdi) – Piero Bellugi: Giuseppe Taddei (Barón di Kelbar) *1975 – ''Don Pasquale'' (Donizetti) – Carlo Franci: Giuseppe Taddei (Don Pasquale) *1976 – ''Le Convenienze ed Inconvenienze Teatrali'' (Donizetti) – Carlo Franci: Giuseppe Taddei (Mamma Agata) *1977 – ''Adriana Lecouvreur'' (Cilèa) – Gianandrea Gavazzeni: Giuseppe Taddei (Michonnet) 1980–1989 *1980 – ''Falstaff'' (Verdi) – Herbert von Karajan: Giuseppe Taddei (John Falstaff) *1982 – ''Falstaff'' (Verdi) – Herbert von Karajan: Giuseppe Taddei (John Falstaff) DVD 1990–1999 *1992 – ''Manon Lescaut'' (Puccini) – James Levine: Giuseppe Taddei (Geronte di Ravoir)

Sources

* ''The Metropolitan Opera Encyclopedia'', edited by David Hamilton * ''The Metropolitan Opera Guide to Recorded Opera'', edited by Paul Gruber
Obituary in Der Standard (in German)

Footnotes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Taddei, Giuseppe Italian operatic baritones 1916 births 2010 deaths 20th-century Italian male opera singers Musicians from Genoa Italian military personnel of World War II