Composers Middle Ages •
Johannes Ciconia (c. 1370–1412), composer and theorist. His open melodic style, clarity of texture, and "modern" sense of harmonic direction make him an attractive and accessible composer •
Gherardello da Firenze (c. 1320/1325–1362–1363), composer. He was known for his liturgical compositions but only two mass movements have survived •
Guido of Arezzo (c. 990–1050), music theorist whose principles served as a foundation for modern Western
musical notation •
Jacopo da Bologna (
fl. 1340–1360), court composer during the
Trecento and one of the earliest composers of
polyphonic secular songs •
Francesco Landini (c. 1325/1335–1397), composer, organist and poet. Celebrated in his own day as a master of the
Italian ars nova style, among his works are madrigals, cacce, and ballate •
Marchetto da Padova (
fl. 1305–1319), music theorist and composer. He lived at
Cesena and
Verona at some time and was in the service of
Rainier,
Prince of Monaco Renaissance •
Giovanni Animuccia (c. 1500–1571), composer who contributed to the development of the
oratorio •
Adriano Banchieri (1568–1634), one of the principal composers of
madrigal comedies and choral pieces •
Giulio Caccini (1551–1618), composer and singer;
Le nuove musiche (1602), a collection of songs with basso continuo, was of landmark importance in establishing the new monodic style •
Francesco Canova da Milano (1497–1543), lutenist and composer. Known as
Il divino ("the divine"), he was the finest composer of
lute music before
John Dowland •
Emilio de' Cavalieri (1550–1602), composer. One of the earliest to compose dramatic music •
Andrea Gabrieli (1532/33–1585), composer and organist, known for his madrigals and his large-scale choral and
instrumental music for public ceremonies •
Giovanni Gabrieli (c. 1554/1557–1612), composer and organist. He was one of the most influential musicians of his time •
Carlo Gesualdo (1566–1613), composer and lutist. He is famous for his intensely expressive
madrigals, which use a
chromatic language not heard of until the 19th century •
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525/1526–1594), composer associated with the
Roman School (
Renaissance music) •
Luzzasco Luzzaschi (c. 1545–1607), composer, organist, and teacher of the late
Renaissance •
Luca Marenzio (1553–1599), composer whose madrigals are considered to be among the finest examples of Italian
madrigals of the late 16th century •
Claudio Merulo (1533–1604), composer. He was organist of
Brescia Cathedral (1556–7) and of
St Mark's Basilica,
Venice (1557–84), where he was also an organ consultant, publisher and teacher •
Claudio Monteverdi (1567–1643), composer, violinist and singer considered a crucial figure in the
history of music •
Jacopo Peri (1561–1633), composer and singer; often called the inventor of
opera •
Gioseffo Zarlino (1517–1590), composer and writer on music, the most celebrated
music theorist of the mid-16th century
Baroque •
Tomaso Albinoni (1671–1751), composer remembered chiefly for his
instrumental music •
Gregorio Allegri (1582–1652), composer of
church music. The famous
Miserere, performed yearly on Wednesday and Friday of
Passion Week, in the papal chapel, is his composition •
Francesca Caccini (1587–1641), composer and singer, daughter of
Giulio Caccini. She was the first woman to compose
opera and probably the most prolific woman composer of her time •
Antonio Caldara (1670/71–1736), composer. He composed many
operas and
oratorios, other sacred and secular
vocal music, and
chamber works. His canons were especially popular •
Giacomo Carissimi (1605–1674), composer and one of the most celebrated masters of the early
Baroque, or, more accurately, the
Roman School of music •
Francesco Cavalli (1602–1676), the most important Italian composer of opera in the mid-17th century •
Antonio Cesti (1623–1669), composer who, with Francesco Cavalli, was one of the leading Italian composers of the 17th century •
Arcangelo Corelli (1653–1713), violinist, composer, conductor and teacher. Founder of the Italian school of violin •
Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583–1643), musician and one of the most important composers of
keyboard instrumental music in the late
Renaissance and early
Baroque music periods •
Francesco Geminiani (1687–1762), composer, violinist, teacher, writer on musical
performance, and a leading figure in early 18th-century music •
Leonardo Leo (1694–1744), composer who was noted for his
comic operas and who was instrumental in forming the Neapolitan style of opera composition •
Pietro Locatelli (1695–1764), composer and violinist. His influential
L′arte del violino (1733) contains 12 solo violin concertos and 24 caprices for solo violin •
Jean Baptiste Lully (1632–1687), Italian-French composer. He was court composer to
Louis XIV, founding the national
French opera and producing court ballets for
Molière's plays •
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710–1736), composer whose
intermezzo La serva padrona (1733) was one of the most celebrated stage works of the 18th century •
Nicola Porpora (1686–1768), composer. Leading Italian teacher of singing of the 18th century •
Alessandro Scarlatti (1660–1725), composer of operas and religious works. He is considered the founder of the Neapolitan school of opera •
Domenico Scarlatti (1685–1757), composer noted particularly for his 555 keyboard
sonatas, which substantially expanded the technical and musical possibilities of the
harpsichord •
Barbara Strozzi (1619–1677), virtuoso singer and composer of
vocal music, one of only a few women in the 17th century to publish their own compositions •
Giuseppe Tartini (1692–1770), violinist, composer, and theorist who helped establish the modern style of violin bowing and formulated principles of
musical ornamentation and harmony •
Giuseppe Torelli (1658–1709), composer and violinist, noted for his essential role in the development of the
solo concerto,
concerto grosso, and
sonata da camera forms •
Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741), composer, Italian
baroque, known for violin music and the
concerto grosso •
Domenico Zipoli (1688–1726), organist and composer. He migrated to Córdoba, Viceroyalty of Peru. He became a Jesuit in order to work in the Reductions of Paraguay where he taught music among the Guaraní people.
Classical period •
Luigi Boccherini (1743–1805), composer and cellist. His vast
chamber music output includes some 125
string quintets, some 90 string quartets, and many
string trios •
Ferdinando Carulli (1770–1841), guitarist, composer and teacher. Known for his concertos, sonatas, studies, variations and transcriptions (over 300 opus numbers) •
Domenico Cimarosa (1749–1801), composer; a leading representative of the
opera buffa. Among his numerous works,
Il matrimonio segreto (1792) is universally renowned •
Baldassare Galuppi (1706–1784), composer whose
comic operas won him the title father of the
opera buffa." •
Mauro Giuliani (1781–1829), the most important guitarist and composer of
guitar music of his time •
Niccolò Jommelli (1714–1774), composer of
religious music and operas, an innovator in his use of the
orchestra •
Giovanni Battista Martini (1706–1784), composer, music theorist, and music historian who was internationally renowned as a teacher •
Giovanni Paisiello (1740–1816), one of the most successful and influential opera composers of his time. He composed more than 80 operas, including a very popular
Barber of Seville (1782) •
Niccolò Piccinni (1728–1800), composer of more than 100 operas. His most famous opera was
La buona figliuola (1760), which established him as one of the leading composers of his day •
Antonio Salieri (1750–1825), composer whose operas were acclaimed throughout Europe in the late 18th century •
Giovanni Battista Sammartini (1700/1701–1775), composer who was an important formative influence on the pre-Classical symphony •
Tommaso Traetta (1727–1779), composer, he was responsible of operatic reforms including reducing the ornateness of style and the primacy of star singers •
Giovanni Battista Viotti (1755–1824), violinist and composer, principal founder of the 19th-century school of violin playing
Romantic •
Vincenzo Bellini (1801–1835), opera composer. His most celebrated works are the operas
La sonnambula and
Norma (both 1831) •
Arrigo Boito (1842–1918), composer and poet. He is remembered for his opera
Mefistofele (1868) •
Alfredo Catalani (1854–1893), composer of the popular opera
La Wally (1892). His operas were among the most important in the period preceding the
verismo school •
Luigi Cherubini (1760–1842), composer, who lived in Paris after 1788. Of his nearly 40 operas, the most popular were
Lodoïska (1791),
Médée (1797), and
Les deux journées (1800) •
Muzio Clementi (1752–1832), composer, pianist, organist and teacher who is acknowledged as the first to write specifically for the
piano •
Gaetano Donizetti (1797–1848), opera composer. Among his major works are
Lucia di Lammermoor (1835),
La fille du régiment (1840), and
La favorite (1840) •
Ruggero Leoncavallo (1857–1919), opera composer whose fame rests on the opera
Pagliacci (1892) •
Pietro Mascagni (1863–1945), operatic composer, one of the principal exponents of
verismo. Mascagni came up with his masterpiece
Cavalleria rusticana in 1890 to tremendous success •
Saverio Mercadante (1795–1870), composer, teacher and orchestrator. He is considered to have been an important reformer of
Italian opera •
Giuseppe Martucci (1856–1909), composer, conductor, pianist and teacher. Sometimes called "the Italian Brahms" •
Niccolò Paganini (1782–1840), composer and principal violin
virtuoso of the 19th century •
Amilcare Ponchielli (1834–1886), composer, known for his opera
La Gioconda (1876) •
Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868), composer nicknamed "The Italian Mozart". Operas include:
The Barber of Seville (1816),
La Cenerentola (1817), and
Semiramide (1823) •
Gaspare Spontini (1774–1851), composer and conductor. His most acclaimed work was
La Vestale (1807) •
Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901), leading Italian composer of
opera in the 19th century, noted for operas such as
Rigoletto (1851),
La traviata (1853),
Aida (1871) and
Otello (1887) among others
The 1900s •
Alfredo Antonini (1901–1983), conductor and composer who was active on the
CBS radio and television networks from the 1930s through the early 1970s •
Pippo Barzizza (1902–1994), composer, arranger, conductor and music director •
Luciano Berio (1925–2003), musician, whose success as theorist, conductor, composer, and teacher placed him among the leading representatives of the musical
avant-garde •
Ferruccio Busoni (1866–1924), pianist and composer who attained fame as a pianist of brilliance and intellectual power •
Bruno Canfora (1924–2017), composer and conductor •
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895–1968), composer in the Neoromantic style.
Literature and
Judaism were influential in his compositions •
Vito Carnevali (1888 – c. 1960) composer of choral music for the Roman Catholic Church •
Francesco Cilea (1866–1950), composer whose operas are distinguished by their melodic charm. known for
Adriana Lecouvreur (1902) •
Luigi Dallapiccola (1904–1975), composer known for his lyrical
twelve-tone compositions •
Lorenzo Ferrero (born 1951), composer. Among his major works are the operas
Salvatore Giuliano (1986),
La Conquista (2005), and
Risorgimento! (2011) •
Daniele Gatti (born 1961), he is currently chief conductor of
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino •
Umberto Giordano (1867–1948), opera composer in the
verismo, or "realist", style, known for his opera
Andrea Chénier (1896) •
Ruggero Leoncavallo (1857–1919), composer and opera librettist. Although he produced numerous operas and other songs it is his opera
Pagliacci (1892) that remained his lasting contribution •
Bruno Maderna (1920–1973), composer and conductor. In 1955 he founded the
Studio di fonologia musicale di Radio Milano with
Luciano Berio disseminating contemporary music in Italy. •
Pietro Mascagni (1863–1945), opera composer, famous for
Cavalleria rusticana, one of the classic
verismo operas •
Gian Carlo Menotti (1911–2007), composer, librettist, director, and playwright who is primarily known for his output of 25 operas •
Giorgio Moroder (born 1940), composer and conductor. The father of
Disco Music •
Ennio Morricone (1928–2020), composer and conductor. He is considered one of the most prolific and influential film composers of his era •
Luigi Nono (1924–1990), leading Italian composer of electronic, aleatory, and serial music •
Riz Ortolani (1926–2014), composer and conductor. He scored over 200 films and television programs in 2013, he received a Lifetime Achievement from the World Soundtrack Academy. •
Goffredo Petrassi (1904–2003), composer of modern classical music, conductor, and teacher •
Lorenzo Perosi (1873–1956), composer of sacred music and the only member of the
Giovane Scuola who did not write opera. •
Piero Piccioni (1921–2004), composer, pianist, organist, conductor, lawyer, he was also the prolific author of more than 300 film soundtracks •
Giacomo Puccini (1858–1924), composer of operas. His finest operas,
La bohème (1896),
Tosca (1900),
Madama Butterfly (1904), and
Turandot (produced posthumously in 1926) •
Ottorino Respighi (1879–1936), composer, known for colourful tone poems
The Fountains of Rome (1916) and
The Pines of Rome (1924) •
Nino Rota (1911–1979), composer of film scores, notably for the films of
Federico Fellini,
Francis Ford Coppola and
Luchino Visconti •
Renato Serio (born 1946), composer, conductor and arranger.
Conductors •
Claudio Abbado (1933–2014), conductor. Principal conductor of the
London Symphony Orchestra (1979–88); director of the
Vienna State Opera (1986–91), and the
Berlin Philharmonic (1989–2001) •
Salvatore Accardo (born 1941), violinist and conductor, who is known for his interpretations of the works of Niccolò Paganini. •
Alfredo Antonini (1901–1983), leading symphony conductor and composer who was active on the international concert stage as well as on the
CBS radio and television •
Enrico Bevignani (1841–1903), conductor, harpsichordist, composer, chief conductor at the Royal Opera House, La Fenice, Mariinsky Theatre and the Bolshoi where notably conducted the world premiere of Pyotr Tchaikovsky's
Eugene Onegin in 1879. •
Ferruccio Busoni (1866–1924), pianist, conductor and composer who attained fame as a pianist of brilliance and intellectual power •
Guido Cantelli (1920–1956), conductor.
Arturo Toscanini elected him his "spiritual heir" since the beginnings of his career •
Primo Casale (1904–1981), conductor, composer, and violinist. Promotor of the opera in Venezuela since 1948 •
Riccardo Chailly (born 1953), conductor known for his devotion to contemporary music, and for his attempts to modernize approaches to the traditional symphonic repertory •
Riccardo Drigo (1846–1930), conductor, composer of ballet music and Italian opera, and a pianist. •
Victor de Sabata (1892–1967), conductor and composer. He is widely recognized as one of the most distinguished operatic conductors of the 20th century •
Piero Gamba (1936–2022), also known as Pierino Gamba, orchestral conductor and pianist. Gamba came to attention as a child prodigy. •
Daniele Gatti (born 1961), conductor. He is considered the foremost conductor of his generation" •
Franco Ferrara (1911–1985), conductor and teacher ofvarious prominent conductors, including Roberto Abbado, Riccardo Chailly, Andrew Davis and Riccardo Muti •
Gianandrea Gavazzeni (1909–1996), conductor of opera •
Carlo Maria Giulini (1914–2005), conductor esteemed for his skills in directing both grand opera and
symphony orchestras •
Vittorio Gui (1885–1975), conductor, composer, musicologist and critic •
Fabio Luisi (born 1959), conductor of the
Vienna Symphony and the
Staatskapelle Dresden •
Gianandrea Noseda (born 1964), conductor of the
National Symphony Orchestra of Washington D.C. •
Mantovani (1905–1980), known mononymously as Mantovani, conductor, composer and light orchestra-styled entertainer with a cascading strings musical signature •
Francesco Molinari-Pradelli (1911–1996). prominent opera conductor •
Riccardo Muti (born 1941), conductor of both opera and the symphonic repertory. He became one of the most respected and charismatic conductors of his generation •
Giorgio Polacco (1875–1960), conductor of the Metropolitan Opera from 1915 to 1917 and the Chicago Civic Opera from 1921 to 1930 •
Claudio Scimone (1934–2018), conductor. He founded
I Solisti Veneti in 1959, specializing in 18th-century and 20th-century Italian music •
Tullio Serafin (1878–1968), conductor. An outstanding conductor of
Italian opera, he did much to foster the revival of interest in
Bellini and
Donizetti •
Giuseppe Sinopoli (1946–2001), performed with an intensity and daring that made him one of Europe's most controversial orchestra leaders •
Arturo Toscanini (1867–1957), conductor, considered one of the great virtuoso conductors of the first half of the 20th century •
Carlo Zecchi (1903–1984), conductor, pianist and music teacher
Singers •
Adamo (born 1943) – singer •
Alberto Urso (born 1997) – outstanding high sing tenor, singer •
Alexia (born 1967) – singer/songwriter •
Alessandra Amoroso (born 1986) – singer/songwriter •
Annalisa (born 1985) – singer/songwriter •
Renzo Arbore (born 1937) – singer, musician TV presenter •
Arisa (born 1982) – singer/songwriter •
Anna Azerli (born 1989) – pop-opera singer •
Bianca Atzei (born 1987) – singer/songwriter •
Serena Autieri (born 1976) – singer/songwriter •
Malika Ayane (born 1984) – singer/songwriter •
Baby K (born 1983) – singer/songwriter •
Umberto Balsamo (born 1943) – singer •
Annalisa (born 1985) – singer/songwriter •
Carla Boni (1925–2009) – singer •
Carla Bruni (born 1967) – singer/songwriter •
Bassi Maestro (born 1973) – rapper •
Claudio Baglioni (born 1951) – singer/songwriter •
Franco Battiato (1945–2021) – singer/songwriter, composer •
Lucio Battisti (1943–1998) – singer/songwriter •
Andrea Bocelli (born 1958) – gospel singer/tenor •
Fred Bongusto (1935–2019) – singer/songwriter •
Alessandra Belloni (born 1954) – singer, drummer, dancer, teacher •
Primo Brown (1976–2016) – rapper •
Edoardo Bennato (born 1946) – singer/songwriter •
Eugenio Bennato (born 1948) – singer/songwriter •
Loredana Bertè (born 1950) – performer •
Orietta Berti (born 1943) – singer •
Carla Bissi (Alice) (1954) – singer/songwriter •
Andrea Bocelli (born 1958), opera tenor noted for his unique blend of opera and
pop music •
Angelo Branduardi (born 1950) – singer/songwriter •
Michele Bravi (born 1994) – singer/songwriter •
Sergio Bruni (1921–2003), singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He was often called
The Voice of Naples •
Fred Buscaglione (1921–1960) – singer/songwriter •
Carlo Buti (1902–1963) – singer. He was known as
The Golden Voice of Italy •
Clementino (born 1982) – rapper •
Coez (born 1983) – singer/rapper •
Andrea Caccese (born 1988) − singer/songwriter •
Renato Carosone (1920–2001) – singer/songwriter •
Caterina Caselli (born 1946) – singer •
Raffaella Carrà (1943–2021) – singer/songwriter •
Albano Carrisi (born 1943) – singer/songwriter •
Marco Carta (born 1985) – singer/songwriter •
Janalynn Castelino (born 1998), singer/songwriter and doctor •
Mimmo Cavallo (born 1951), singer-songwriter and composer •
Adriano Celentano (born 1938) – singer/songwriter •
Giovanni Caccamo (born 1991) pop singer •
Gigliola Cinquetti (born 1947) – singer/songwriter •
Chiara (born 1986) – singer/songwriter •
Riccardo Cocciante (born 1946) – singer/songwriter •
Lodovica Comello (born 1990) – singer/songwriter •
Paolo Conte (born 1937) – singer/songwriter •
Tony Croatto (1940–2005) – singer/songwriter •
Toto Cutugno (1943–2023) – singer/songwriter •
Lorella Cuccarini (born 1965) – singer/songwriter •
Betty Curtis (1936–2006) – singer •
Lucio Dalla (1943–2012) – singer/songwriter •
Tony Dallara (born 1936)– singer •
Pino Daniele (1955–2015) – singer/songwriter •
Gigi D'Alessio (born 1967) – singer/songwriter •
Dargen D'Amico (born 1980) – rapper/singer •
Pino D'Angiò (born 1952) – singer •
Cristina D'Avena (born 1964) – singer •
Fabrizio De André (1940–1999) – singer/songwriter •
Francesco De Gregori (born 1951) – singer/songwriter •
Roberto Demo (born 1965) – singer/songwriter •
Fred De Palma (born 1989) – rapper •
Manuel De Peppe (born 1970) – singer/songwriter •
Teresa De Sio (born 1955) – singer/songwriter •
Franco De Vita (born 1954) – singer/songwriter •
Nicola Di Bari (born 1940) – singer/songwriter •
Peppino di Capri (born 1939) – singer/songwriter •
Evio di Marzo (1954-2016) – singer/songwriter •
Aldo Donà (1922–2011) – singer/songwriter •
Pino Donaggio (born 1941) – singer •
Aldo Donati (1947–2014) – singer/songwriter •
Johnny Dorelli (born 1937) – singer •
Egreen (born 1984) – rapper •
Elisa (born 1977) – singer/songwriter •
Sergio Endrigo (1933–2005) – singer/songwriter •
El Presidente (born 1972) – rapper •
En?gma (born 1988) – rapper •
Ensi (born 1985) – rapper •
Fabri Fibra (born 1976) – rapper •
Fedez (born 1989) – rapper •
Nino Ferrer (1934–1998) – singer •
Bruno Filippini (born 1945) – singer •
Rosario Fiorello (born 1960) – singer/songwriter •
Gabriella Ferri (1942–2004) – singer/songwriter •
Giusy Ferreri (born 1979) – singer/songwriter •
Tiziano Ferro (born 1980) – singer/songwriter •
Eugenio Finardi (born 1952) – singer/songwriter •
Fiordaliso(born 1956) – singer •
Riccardo Fogli (born 1947) – singer/songwriter •
Jimmy Fontana (1934–2013) – singer/songwriter •
Ivano Fossati (born 1951) – singer/songwriter •
Rosanna Fratello (born in 1951) – singer and actress •
Gemitaiz (born 1988) – rapper •
Gué Pequeno (born 1980) – rapper •
Giorgio Gaber (1939–2003) – singer/songwriter •
Francesco Gabbani (born 1982) – singer/songwriter •
Rino Gaetano (1950–1981) – singer/songwriter •
Giorgia (born 1971) – singer/songwriter •
Enrico Gentile (born 1921)– singer. In 1940 he founded a vocal quartet named Quartetto Cetra •
Wilma Goich(born 1945) – singer •
Irene Grandi (born 1969) – singer/songwriter •
Rocco Granata (born 1938) – singer/songwriter •
Francesco Guccini (born 1940) – singer/songwriter •
J-Ax (born 1972) – rapper •
Jovanotti (born 1966) – singer/songwriter and rapper •
Enzo Jannacci (1935–2013) – singer/songwriter •
Gorni Kramer (1913–1995)– singer/songwriter •
Emis Killa (born 1989) – rapper •
Achille Lauro (born 1990) – rapper/singer •
Rudy La Scala (born 1954) – singer/songwriter and record producer •
Bruno Lauzi (1937–2006) – singer/songwriter •
Fausto Leali (born 1944) – singer/songwriter •
Luciano Ligabue (born 1960) – singer/songwriter •
MadMan (born 1988) – rapper •
Mahmood (born 1992) – singer/songwriter •
Marracash (born 1979) – rapper •
Cristiano Malgioglio (born 1945) – singer/songwriter •
Pablo Manavello (1950–2016) – singer/songwriter •
Fiorella Mannoia (born 1954) – performer •
Marino Marini (1924–1997)- singer and musician •
Emma Marrone (born 1984) – singer/songwriter •
Mia Martini (1947–1995) – singer/performer •
Marco Masini (born 1964) – singer-songwriter, pianist •
Paolo Meneguzzi (born 1976) – singer/songwriter •
Marco Mengoni (born 1988) – singer/songwriter •
Francesca Michielin (born 1995) – singer/songwriter •
Milva (1939–2021) – performer •
Mina (born 1940) – performer •
Moreno (born 1989) – rapper/singer •
Domenico Modugno (1928–1994) – singer/songwriter •
Yves Montand (1921–1991) – singer/songwriter •
Gianni Morandi (born 1944) – performer •
Fabrizio Moro (born 1975) – singer/songwriter •
Franco Mussida (
Premiata Forneria Marconi) (born 1947) – singer/songwriter •
Gianna Nannini (born 1954) – singer/songwriter •
Neffa (born 1967) – rapper/singer/songwriter •
Nek (born 1972) – singer/songwriter •
Nesli (born 1980) – rapper •
Noemi (born 1982) – singer/songwriter •
Nitro (born 1993) – rapper •
Natalino Otto (1912–1969) - singer/songwriter •
Gino Paoli (1934–2026) – singer/songwriter •
Laura Pausini (born 1974) – singer/songwriter •
Rita Pavone (born 1946) – singer •
Emilio Pericoli (1928–2013) – singer •
Piero (born 1945) – singer/songwriter •
Nilla Pizzi (1919–2011) – singer •
Povia (born 1972) – singer/songwriter •
Patty Pravo (born 1948) – singer •
Pupo(born 1955), singer, lyricist, television presenter, writer and voice actor •
Alberto Rabagliati (1906–1974) – singer •
Rancore (born 1989) – rapper •
Rocco Hunt (born 1994) – rapper/singer •
Katyna Ranieri (1925–2018) – singer •
Massimo Ranieri (born 1951) – singer •
Eros Ramazzotti (born 1963) – singer/songwriter •
Mino Reitano (1944–2009) – singer/songwriter •
Tony Renis (born 1938) – singer •
Donatella Rettore (born 1953) – singer/songwriter •
Stefano Righi (born 1969) – singer/songwriter •
Vasco Rossi (born 1952) – singer/songwriter •
Fabio Rovazzi (born 1994) – rapper/singer •
Enrico Ruggeri (born 1957) – singer/songwriter •
Antonella Ruggiero (born 1952) – performer •
Giuni Russo (1951–2004) – singer/songwriter •
Salmo (born 1984) – rapper •
Paolo Salvatore (1941–2007), singer •
Flo Sandon's (1924–2006), singer •
Shade (born 1987) – rapper •
Valerio Scanu (born 1990) – singer/songwriter •
Slut Boy Billy (born 1998) - hip-pop, punk rap and trap rapper •
Bobby Solo (born 1945) – singer/songwriter •
Demetrio Stratos (
Area) (1945–1973) – singer/songwriter •
Aldo Tagliapietra (
Le Orme) (1945) – singer/songwriter •
Luigi Tenco (1938–1967) – singer/songwriter •
Little Tony (1941–2013) – singer/songwriter •
Vacca (born 1979) – rapper •
Giada Valenti – singer/songwriter •
Ornella Vanoni (1934–2025) – singer •
Roberto Vecchioni (born 1943) – singer/songwriter •
Antonello Venditti (born 1949) – singer/songwriter •
Gioconda Vessichelli (21st-century) – opera singer and actress •
Edoardo Vianello (born 1938) – singer/songwriter •
Claudio Villa (1926–1987) – singer •
Yordano (born 1951) – singer/songwriter •
Iva Zanicchi(born 1940) – singer •
Renato Zero (born 1950) – singer/songwriter •
Zucchero (born 1955) – singer/songwriter
Castrati singers •
Antonio Bernacchi (1685–1756), contralto castrato, sang in operas throughout Italy and also abroad, notably at Munich and for
Handel in London •
Caffarelli (1710–1783), contralto castrato. A pupil of
Nicola Porpora; he sang for Handel in London, England, in 1738, creating the title roles in
Faramondo and
Serse •
Giovanni Carestini (c. 1704 – c. 1760), contralto castrato, one of the foremost of his time. Début Rome 1721 •
Girolamo Crescentini (1762–1846), mezzo-soprano castrato. His repertory being chiefly operas by
Zingarelli,
Cimarosa and
Gazzaniga •
Farinelli (1705–1782), both soprano and contralto •
Giacinto Fontana, called "Farfallino" (1692–1739), soprano castrato. He was active primarily in Rome, specialized in performing female roles (women were not permitted to appear onstage in the
Papal States) •
Nicolò Grimaldi (1673–1732), mezzo-soprano castrato known for his association with the composer George Frideric Handel, in two of whose early operas he sang •
Giovanni Francesco Grossi (1653–1697), soprano castrato. He sang Siface in
Cavalli's
Scipione affricano (1671) and was thereafter always known by that name •
Gaetano Guadagni (1728–1792), contralto castrato, known for singing the role of Orpheus at the premiere of
Gluck's opera
Orfeo ed Euridice in 1762 •
Giuseppe Millico, called "Il Moscovita" (1737–1802), soprano castrato, known for his association with the composer Christoph Willibald Gluck, he performed in all the latter's reform operas. •
Alessandro Moreschi (1858–1922), soprano castrato, known as the angel of Rome "because of vocal purity •
Gaspare Pacchierotti (1740–1821), soprano castrato, one of the most famous singers of his time •
Senesino (1686–1758), contralto castrato, renowned for his power and his skill in both
coloratura and expressive singing •
Giovanni Velluti (1780–1861), soprano. The last of the leading castrate singers
Sopranos •
Gemma Bellincioni (1864–1950), opera singer, soprano •
Maria Caniglia (1905–1979), soprano; one of the leading Italian dramatic sopranos of the 1930s and 1940s •
Mariella Devia (born 1948), after beginning her forty-five-year-long career as a lyric coloratura soprano, in recent years she has enjoyed success with some of the most dramatic roles in the bel canto repertoire. •
Mirella Freni (1935–2020), soprano; one of the dominant figures on the opera scene; she has since performed at many venues, including
Milan,
Vienna and
Salzburg •
Adalgisa Gabbi (1857–1933), operatic soprano •
Cecilia Gasdia (born 1960), operatic soprano. •
Amelita Galli-Curci (1882–1963), coloratura soprano •
Giulia Grisi (1811–1869), operatic soprano whose brilliant dramatic voice established her as an operatic prima donna for more than 30 years •
Fausta Labia (1870–1935), operatic soprano •
Claudia Muzio (1889–1936), operatic soprano, whose international career was among the most successful of the early 20th century. She brought drama and pathos to all her roles •
Giuditta Pasta (1797–1865), soprano. She was famed for her roles in the operas of
Rossini,
Bellini and
Donizetti; acclaimed for her vocal range and expressiveness •
Adelina Patti (1843–1919), soprano; one of the great coloratura singers of the 19th century •
Amelia Pinto (1876–1946), remembered for Wagner and Puccini performances •
Renata Scotto (born 1934), soprano and opera director; considered one of the preeminent singers of her generation, specializing in the
bel canto repertoire •
Renata Tebaldi (1922–2004), lyric soprano; one of the most acclaimed members of the Metropolitan Opera company from 1955 to 1973, and retired from singing in 1976 •
Luisa Tetrazzini (1871–1940), coloratura soprano; one of the finest of her time
Mezzo-sopranos •
Cecilia Bartoli (born 1966), operatic mezzo-soprano who achieved global stardom with her outstanding vocal skills •
Faustina Bordoni (1697–1781), mezzo-soprano; known for her beauty and acting as well as her vocal range and breath control •
Fiorenza Cossotto (born 1935), mezzo-soprano; she is considered by many to be one of the great mezzo-sopranos of the 20th century •
Armida Parsi-Pettinella (1868–1949), successful at the Scala, especially as Dalila •
Giulietta Simionato (1910–2010), mezzo-soprano who excelled at
bel canto and lighter operas by
Rossini and
Mozart •
Ebe Stignani (1903/1904–1974), mezzo-soprano; member of the
Scala ensemble and was regarded as its leading exponent of dramatic contralto and mezzo roles •
Lucia Valentini Terrani (1946–1998), mezzo-soprano, she was particularly associated with Rossini roles
Contraltos •
Marietta Alboni (1823–1894), operatic contralto known for her classic Italian bel canto •
Clorinda Corradi (1804–1877), opera singer; one of the most famous
contraltos in history •
Giuseppina Grassini (1773–1850), noted Italian contralto and a singing teacher
Tenors •
Giovanni Ansani (1744–1826), operatic tenor •
Giuseppe Anselmi (1876–Zoagli), operatic tenor •
Daniele Barioni (1930–2022), lyric tenor •
Carlo Bergonzi (1924–2014), lyric tenor; from 1956 to 1983, his beautiful voice was a fixture in the 19th-century Italian and French repertoire at the
Metropolitan Opera •
Alessandro Bonci (1870–1940), leggero tenor •
Franco Bonisolli (1938–2003), lyric tenor •
Dino Borgioli (1891–1960), lyric tenor •
Enrico Caruso (1873–1921), lyric tenor, particularly associated with Verismo operas, and first successful recorded tenor of history •
Franco Corelli (1921–2003), spinto tenor; powerful voice and passionate singing style; had a major international opera career between 1951 and 1976 •
Carlo Cossutta (1932–2000), dramatic tenor •
Giacomo David (1750–1830), operatic tenor •
Giovanni David (1790–1864), operatic tenor •
Giovanni Matteo De Candia (1810–1883), operatic tenor mostly known with his stage name as "Mario", married with soprano Giulia Grisi •
Fernando De Lucia (1860–1925), operatic tenor and singing teacher who enjoyed an international career •
Mario Del Monaco (1915–1982), dramatic tenor •
Bernardo De Muro (1881–1955), operatic tenor •
Enzo de Muro Lomanto (1902–1952), lyric tenor •
Giuseppe Di Stefano (1921–2008), lyric tenor who was hailed as one of the finest operatic tenors of his generation •
Domenico Donzelli (1790–1873), operatic tenor •
Mario Filippeschi (1907–1979), lyric tenor •
Salvatore Fisichella (1943), lyric-leggero tenor •
Beniamino Gigli (1890–1957), lyric-leggero tenor. The most famous tenor of his generation; was a leading in French and Italian operas from 1920 to 1932 •
Giacomo Lauri-Volpi (1892–1979), lyric-spinto tenor; he performed throughout Europe and the Americas in a top-class career that spanned 40 years •
Francesco Marconi (1853–1916), lyric-spinto tenor •
Giovanni Martinelli (1885–1969), spinto tenor; his repertoire of about 50 roles included the leading tenor roles in nearly all the principal Italian operas •
Francesco Merli (1887–1976), dramatic tenor •
Pier Miranda Ferraro (1924–2008), lyric-dramatic tenor •
Nicola Monti (1920–1993), leggero tenor •
Andrea Nozzari (1776–1832), operatic tenor •
Luciano Pavarotti (1935–2007), lyric-leggero tenor •
Aureliano Pertile (1885–1952), lyric-dramatic tenor; one of the most important of the entire 20th century •
Arrigo Pola (1919–1999), lyric tenor •
Giacinto Prandelli (1914–2010), lyric tenor •
Gianni Raimondi (1923–2008), lyric-spinto tenor, particularly associated with the Italian repertory •
Giovanni Battista Rubini (1794–1854), operatic tenor; known for playing heroic roles •
Giovanni Sbriglia (1832–1916), operatic tenor •
Tito Schipa (1888–1965), leggero tenor; considered one of the finest
tenore di grazia in operatic history •
Roberto Stagno (1840–1897), lyric tenor •
Ferruccio Tagliavini (1913–1995), lyric-leggero tenor •
Francesco Tamagno (1850–1905), lyric-spinto tenor; became famous for his performances in the title roles of Verdi's
Otello and
Don Carlos •
Enrico Tamberlik (1820–1889), operatic tenor •
Cesare Valletti (1922–2000), leggero tenor •
Giovanni Zenatello (1876–1949), dramatic tenor
Baritones •
Pasquale Amato (1878–1942), operatic baritone; from 1908 to 1921 he sang leading baritone roles at the
Metropolitan Opera •
Ettore Bastianini (1922–1967), operatic baritone; was particularly associated with the operas of
Verdi •
Mattia Battistini (1856–1928), operatic baritone; a great master of
bel canto •
Renato Bruson (born 1934), operatic baritone; one of the most important
Verdi baritones of the late 20th and early 21st century •
Piero Cappuccilli (1926–2005), operatic baritone; enjoyed a 35-year career during which he was widely regarded as the leading Italian baritone of his generation •
Antonio Cotogni (1831–1918), operatic baritone •
Giuseppe De Luca (1876–1950), operatic baritone •
Tito Gobbi (1913–1984), operatic baritone; he sang in most of the great opera houses and was acclaimed for his acting ability •
Rolando Panerai (1924–2019), baritone; début Florence (1946) with
Lucia di Lammermoor •
Giorgio Ronconi (1810–1890), operatic baritone; one of the most popular artists on the lyric stage until his retirement in 1866 •
Titta Ruffo (1877–1953), operatic baritone •
Antonio Scotti (1866–1936), baritone a principal artist of the New York Metropolitan Opera for more than 33 seasons, but also sang with great success at London's Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and Milan's La Scala •
Giuseppe Taddei (1916–2010), baritone; he has performed more than 100 operatic roles over six decades
Basses •
Salvatore Baccaloni (1900–1969), operatic bass; known for his large repertory, he sang nearly 170 roles in five languages •
Sesto Bruscantini (1919–2003), operatic bass-baritone,
buffo singer •
Enzo Dara (1938–2017), bass buffo; one of the foremost performers of his generation •
Nazzareno De Angelis (1881–1962), operatic bass, particularly associated with
Verdi,
Rossini and
Wagner roles •
Ferruccio Furlanetto (born 1949), bass; known as a brilliant interpreter in the Italian repertoire and as a Mozart-singer •
Luigi Lablache (1794–1858), operatic bass admired for his musicianship and acting •
Paolo Montarsolo (1925–2006), operatic bass particularly associated with buffo roles •
Tancredi Pasero (1893–1983), bass; particularly associated with the Italian repertory •
Ezio Pinza (1892–1957), leading basso at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City (1926–1948) •
Cesare Siepi (1923–2010), bass singer who won over audiences worldwide in signature roles such as Don Giovanni and Figaro in
The Marriage of Figaro == Painters ==