Paolo Silveri (Ofena1913 - Roma 2001)

He studied in Rome, first privately with Luigi Perugini and then at the Conservatorio Santa Cecilia, also in the class Riccardo Stracciari, beginning in the low register in 1939 at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma in The Mastersingers of Nuremberg. After an interruption due to the war period and an additional period of study, he made his debut as a baritone in January 1944, again at the Rome Opera in the role of Germont. He begins a rapid career in the Italian theaters, including in particular the San Carlo in Naples, until the debut in 1949 as the Count di Luna at La Scala, where he returned regularly until 1955. It performed at the same time in the most important foreign theaters: Royal Opera House in London (from '46 steadily up to 50 years, singing also routinely Italian works translated into English), Paris Opera, Vienna, Glyndebourne. In 1950 he debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in Don Giovanni, then playing several other roles, including Rigoletto, the Marquis of Posa, Iago. It also appeared in South America. It gained notoriety primarily to the interpretation of the great Verdi roles (especially Rigoletto, who played in over five hundred performances), also distinguishing himself as Figaro, Barnabas, Scarpia, William Tell, Boris. He performed well in the tenor, playing Othello in Dublin in 1959, then not following up on the new role and returning to baritone roles. Thanks also to stage presence, he participated in the season of Italian opera films in the 50s and 60s, playing La Favorita next to Sophia Loren. He retired from the stage in 1968 with a final recital of Rigoletto in Budapest, next in the role of Gilda's daughter Silvia. He devoted himself to teaching later, also as a teacher at the Conservatory, and was active as a cultural worker, especially in England and Ireland. In 1983 he wrote an autobiography translated into English. Photo autograph of the famous baritone.

Excellent condition

Material
Photography; 17,5x13 cm