Giuseppe Taddei

Together with Tito Gobbi, Giuseppe Taddei best exemplified the great tradition of Italian baritones in the post-WWII era. In contrast to Gobbi's leaner instrument, Taddei's voice was large and round, occasionally prone to unsteadiness, but silken in timbre and always at the service of an incisive musical mind. Whether in a comic or dramatic role (from Leporello to Scarpia), Taddei found the right colors and expression to produce a complete characterization. His career was a lengthy one; in fact, his Metropolitan Opera debut came at the age of 69, when his still-full-voiced Fal...