(Florence 1915 - Mestre 1982)
Still considered the most extraordinary dramatic tenor of all time.



His pièce de résistance was Verdi's Otello, an opera which was considered almost unperformable, on account of the difficulties it presented both vocally and in terms of interpretation, and for the need for a broad and full dramatic vocalisation which is rarely found.
The exceptional quality of Mario Del Monaco's vocal timbre has gone down in history; it was defined as golden, powerful and brilliant but it is only by hearing it, even on a record, that one can fully appreciate its quality, which immediately remains indelibly engraved on the listener.
Del Monaco's musical career was splendid; after studying in Pesaro and making his debut in Milan in 1941 with Madame Butterfly, he was acclaimed in the most important theatres all over the world. Above all, however, he was constantly present at the Metropolitan Opera House and at La Scala, helping create that unrepeatable season which was subsequently defined as the "Golden Age" of Opera.