author
Enrico Caruso
1873–1921
One of opera’s first true international superstars, he brought a warm, powerful tenor voice to the great stages of Europe and the Americas. His hugely popular recordings also helped turn classical singing into something people could enjoy at home.
2 Audiobooks
Caruso and Tetrazzini on the Art of Singing
by Luisa Tetrazzini, Enrico Caruso
How to Become a Successful Singer
by Dame Clara Butt, Enrico Caruso, Ben Davies, Dame Nellie Melba
About the author
Born in Naples on February 25, 1873, he rose from a modest background to become the most celebrated tenor of his era. He made his operatic debut in Italy in the 1890s and soon built an international career, admired for a voice that could sound both lyrical and dramatically intense.
He became especially famous through his performances at major opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where he was one of the company’s defining stars in the early twentieth century. Just as important, he was among the first singers to reach a mass audience through commercial recordings, which helped preserve his voice and spread his fame far beyond the opera house.
His life was cut short when he died in Naples on August 2, 1921, but his influence lasted well beyond his own time. He is still remembered not only as a great Italian tenor, but also as a pioneer of recorded music whose voice helped shape the modern idea of musical celebrity.