Photo: Pramzan45 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Bergonzi belongs to a vanishing breed of tenor who prized line and color over crowd-pleasing high notes. Born in the very province that produced Verdi, he seemed to carry that repertoire in his blood, even reviving the composer's neglected works. What I admire is the discipline of it: no theatrics, just a voice used like a finely tuned instrument, phrase after phrase. He stayed active into old age and taught the next generation before dying at ninety in 2014. I have enormous respect for artists who pursue mastery quietly rather than spectacle. His recordings remain a masterclass in taste.
Overview
Carlo Bergonzi (13 July 1924 – 25 July 2014) was an Italian operatic tenor. Although he performed and recorded some bel canto and verismo roles, he was above all associated with the operas of Giuseppe Verdi, including many of the composer's lesser known works he helped revive. He sang more than forty other roles throughout his career.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Carlo Bergonzi
- Name (Japanese)
- カルロ・ベルゴンツィ
- Reading
- かるろ・べるごんつぃ
- Born
- July 13, 1924 – July 25, 2014
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Cancer / Rat
- Origin
- Polesine Parmense, Province of Parma, Italy
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- opera singer / pedagogue / musician
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 2000 Gramophone Award for Lifetime Achievement
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
- Ambrogino d'oro
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Opera singer — see all → · More people from Italy →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.