Tito Gobbi was born in Bassano del Grappa, Italy in 1913. He commenced law studies at Padova University, but then studied singing with Giulio Crimi. His success as first prize winner in an international competition in Vienna led to débuts in Rome as Germont in Verdi's LaTraviata, first at the Teatro Adriano and then at the Rome Opera. There he sang the title rôle in the first performance in Italy of Berg's Wozzeck (1942). After the war he sang a wide repertoire in a number of cities in the U.S.A and his Metropolitan Opera début in l956 was as Scarpia in Puccini's Tosca.
His first visit to Covent Garden was with the company of La Scala in 1951 singing in the rôle of his original Scala début, Belcore in Donizetti's comedy L’elisir d’amore (The elixir of love). He returned to London many times particularly in Verdi parts and in 1965 produced and sang the name part in Verdi's Simone Boccanegra. He sang the title rôle in Mozart's Don Giovanni at Salzburg and appeared in many films. He did not have an enormous, dramatic voice but the intensity and intelligence of his portrayals made him one of the great singing actors of his time. He died in Rome in 1984.
