Beniamino Gigli was born in Recanati, Italy in 1879. He sang in the choir of the Recanati Cathedral, where his father was the sacristan, from the age of seven. He studied in Rome with Agnese Bonucci and at the Liceo Musicale with Cotogni and Rosati. After winning an international competition in Parma in 1914, he made his début there as Enzo in Ponchielli's opera La Gioconda.
His success in the name part in Faust by Boito under the baton of Serafin Mascagni, and eventually at La Scala with Maestro Toscanini, led to his Metropolitan Opera début in 1920 in the same rôle. He sang there every year until 1932 when the prospect of a cut in fees due to the Depression led to his absence until 1939 when he sang Radames in Verdi's Aida. During this time he sang for several seasons at Covent Garden and after the Second World War returned in 1946 to sing Rodolfo in Puccini's La Bohème, with his daughter, Rina, singing Mimi.
He made further occasional operatic appearances in Italy until 1953 and his farewell recital tours were in the U.S.A. in 1955 and London in 1956. He died in Rome in 1957. His repertoire was very large covering most of the lyric and spinto parts. He had a uniquely smooth, sweet and easily produced voice with considerable power. He was sometimes accused of lapses of taste and style, his acting was not always very subtle, but such criticisms were outweighed by the glorious sound of his voice.
