Bohemia a popular Cuban movie magazine first published in 1908 & continues to this day

Date of Birth

20 March 1890, Recanati, Italy

Date of Death

30 November 1957, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Beniamino Gigli was born in Recanati in Italy on 20th March 1890 into a poor family. After struggling to make a living for many years but possessing a fine singing voice he eventually made his operatic debut as a tenor on 15th October 1914 appearing in La Giaconda in Rovigo, Italy. Over the following years his reputation and stature grew, while his first recordings were issued in 1918, and he was invited to sing at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York in 1920, where the greatest singers of the time performed. He appeared every year for the next 12 seasons until in 1932 in the middle of the Depression after a wage dispute with the management he quit and left to return to Europe. During the '20's and '30's he was often called the World's Greatest Tenor and Caruso's successor. Then began his touring and performing all around the world, on the way becoming an especial favourite of Hitler, Mussolini and their cliques. His autobiography, like many autobiographies can be on sensitive subjects to their authors, was very reticent at this point - but overall proving he was human and made mistakes as we all do. He had a short film career, much to his surprise but reaching new audiences. For a while after the War he was labelled a traitor by Italians, but eventually clearing his name and resuming his career and critical success. However when he felt his powers were starting to wane he decided to retire, his last performance being in Washington DC on 25th May 1955, after a professional career of nearly 41 years. He returned to Recanati and died at 67 years old in Rome on 30th November. 1957


Price:  £210.00