Giuseppe De Luca (December 25, 1876 – August 26, 1950), was an Italian baritone who achieved his greatest operatic triumphs at the New York Metropolitan Opera.
De Luca was born in Rome and studied in that city with two famous voice teachers, Venceslao Persichini (who also taught Titta Ruffo for a time) and Antonio Cotogni. He made his debut at Piacenza in 1897, singing Valentin in Gounod's Faust.
He appeared at La Scala, Milan, from 1902 to 1910,...
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Giuseppe De Luca (December 25, 1876 – August 26, 1950), was an Italian baritone who achieved his greatest operatic triumphs at the New York Metropolitan Opera.
De Luca was born in Rome and studied in that city with two famous voice teachers, Venceslao Persichini (who also taught Titta Ruffo for a time) and Antonio Cotogni. He made his debut at Piacenza in 1897, singing Valentin in Gounod's Faust.
He appeared at La Scala, Milan, from 1902 to 1910, and made his London debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in 1907. He moved subsequently to America where he became a leading baritone at the Metropolitan Opera for 20 years, from 1915 to 1935. (He returned briefly to the house in 1939-1940.) After his retirement, he taught voice at the Juilliard School. He died in New York at the age of 73.
De Luca is notable for creating two important Puccini roles: Sharpless in Madama Butterfly (La Scala, 1904) and the title role in Gianni Schicchi (Metropolitan, 1918). He also created the...
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