Salvatore Baccaloni

Regarded as the finest basso buffo of the 1930s through the early 1960s, Salvatore Baccaloni wielded a far more substantial voice than most practitioners of Italian comic roles. Indeed, in the earliest stages of his career, he essayed straight bass roles such as Sparafucile before being guided into his ultimate repertory by his girth, his gift for comedic timing and a richly plastic countenance. While his facility for mugging often led him over the top, his endearing persona usually deflected criticism. Appearances outside the confines of the opera house made Baccaloni somethi...