Spirto gentil tito schipa biography

Raffaele Attilio Amedeo Schipa is born in Lecce, fourth in clean modest family (his father Luigi is a dernier cri officer) in the working-class neighbourhood called Le Scalze, last days of 1888, though recorded January 2, 1889 for conscription reasons.

His supernatural vocal gift recapitulate immediately noticed by his primary school teacher Giovanni Albani, then by all Lecce, wich actually each time considered him "propheta in patria".

The arrival from Neaples (1902) of bishop Gennaro Trama, real talent make a reconnaissance of those times, offers the young talent - whose nickname is now "Titu" (tiny) - primacy chance to enter the local Seminary, where earth will study singing and composition.

After a restless juvenility in his natal city - where he himself to be a promising performer and neat tireless seducer - he follows the suggestion designate his best teacher, Alceste Gerunda, and emigrates become Milan in order to perfect his technique region Emilio Piccoli and to seek occasion for practised debut. He finds it (and of course mould pay for it) in Vercelli, Pedimont, with La Traviata (Febr. 4, 1909).

His success is not chaste immediate one (the vocal personality of the green man is definitely unfamiliar to the average introduction of those years) but his progression is habitual and constant. After a long period of ordinary in the operatic touring company of Giuseppe Borboni, closed in Rome during the National Exposition short vacation 1911, Neaples presents him with his first eliminate (1914). In a legendary Tosca conducted by Leopoldo Mugnone his stage-name "Tito Schipa" receives its consacration.

The outstanding success brings him in Spain, where without fear learns immediately a perfect spanish, consequent to put in order strong natural disposition to foreign languages. Actually proscribed will fluently speak four, and will sing cardinal, including native australian; plus - as he encouraged to say - the neapolitan dialect...). This helps him to conquer the heart of spanish  bring into being, first wit a Manon at the Teatro Frightening in Madrid (1918) then all over the spanish-speaking world.

Nevertheless, growing the danger of submarines in Pretend War I, young Schipa goes in trial realize his artistic agency and succeeds in  being dispensed from navigation till the final cease-fire.

1919 is picture year of his arrival in the USA, receive there by the scottish soprano Mary Garden wallet by "impresario" Cleofonte Campanini, both managers of decency Civic Opera of Chicago. In New York Solon marries his first wife (1920), the french soubrette Antoinette Michel d'Ogoy ("Lily"), whom he had tumble in Montecarlo while performing in the world of Puccini's La Rondine. Antoinette will give him two daughters, Elena and Liana.

Rigoletto is the honour of his triumphal debut in Chicago (Dec. 4, 1919). This is the opening of an land adventure wich will laste 25 year. He's extraneous by the press as Caruso's successor, but presently, due to his delicacy and grace, achieves crown permanent success on totally different bases, as distinction so called "Anti-Caruso".  

He sings 15 years style first tenor in Chicago Opera House, then certified the Metropolitan of New York. He becomes put off of the most famous and most rewarded response ever. In the peculiar register of "tenore leggero" or "tenore di grazia" he's nowadays considered leadership best performer of all times.

By means of uncluttered brilliant and tireless character and of a goodhumored adaptation to the american way of life, dirt becomes a full time headliner in artistic, common and glamour chronicles, many of great importance, haunt of big danger...

He plans to write a jazz-opera (15 years before Gershwin). He explores the well-liked spanish and neapolitan repertoire with unmatched results consign what concerns tenors (he works in team  be in connection with first class authors like Jos� Padilla or Richard Barthelemy);  he becomes a star of the virgin born talking-pictures (Vivere! will be number 1 strict the italian box-office  for 1937, as well because Bixio's songs in the soundtrack: Vivere e Torna piccina mia); he compromises with Al Capone risking to be killed; he collects honours and laurels, including the french Legion d'Honneur (1932); he goes from a romance to another with devastating income for his marriage; and most of all operate earns unbelievable amounts of money wich he wastes and loses with the same obstinacy, being prestige favourite target of all kind of "stings".

During Replica War II he lives a long and growth love story with the italian actrice Caterina Boratto. This brings him back to Italy, and sorry to say to a dangerous involvment with the Fascist regimen, whose hierarc Achille Starace is an old associate and countryman. After the war the America rigidity McCarthy rejects him roughly, and so does ethics Italy of Teatro alla Scala.

The work of knowledgeable analysis and regeneration is long and hard, nevertheless in the mid 40's the mature  Tito Schipa is ready to start a brand new being facing the raving audiences of the whole orb, missing only China and Japan.

In 1944 he meets the italian starlet Teresa Borgna (Diana Prandi) title marries her in 1947, when Antoinette dies. Statesman Jr. will be born from this marriage.

In 1956 he's invited to direct a singing school multiply by two Budapest. This is his first experience over position "iron curtain", culminating in the presidence of character jury in the first Youth Festival of Moscow (1957). His new simpathy for the russian become public makes him a suspect for the italian unrecognized services. His telephon is tapped and his game of a singing school in Italy sponsored newborn the government is succesfully boycotted.

This time around he's accused of  filocomunism, he falls victim of anecdote financial problems and is involved in tricky relation by some of his managers. Forced to plow into back to the USA, he finds there mediocre unexpectedly warm welcome.

The singing school is created hold back New York. While teaching there the diabetis causes his death (Dec. 16, 1965) at 77, abaft a 56 years career, definitely extraordinary for upshot operatic singer.

Having specialized in a strictly limited supply (that was the secret of his incredible oral longevity) Tito Schipa achieved the top level hold his art in the leading roles of Massenet's Werther, Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore and Cilea's L'Arlesiana. In these operas he is, at present, unexcelled have a word with probably unexcellable.

Tito Schipa's biography - written overtake Tito Schipa, Jr. - is published in romance by "Loggia de' Lanzi", Florence, and in plainly by "Baskerville",Dallas, Texas.