Early training and career Ruggero Raimondi was born in
Bologna, Italy, during World War II. His voice matured early into its adult timbre, and at the age of 15, he auditioned for conductor
Francesco Molinari-Pradelli, who encouraged him to pursue an operatic career. He began vocal studies with
Ettore Campogalliani, and was accepted at age 16 as a student at the
Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in
Milan. He then continued his studies in Rome, under the guidance of Teresa Pediconi and Armando Piervenanzi. After having won the National Competition for young opera singers in
Spoleto, he made his debut in the same city in the role of Colline in
La bohème in the
Festival dei Due Mondi. Subsequently, an opportunity arose for him at the Teatro dell'Opera in Rome when he was called upon to substitute in the role of Procida in
Giuseppe Verdi's
I vespri siciliani, and he received enormous success from the public and the critics. The young singer was very shy and stiff at first, but his early directors helped him, and he was soon an accomplished opera actor.
Opera, film and television Raimondi's career soon extended to the major opera houses in Italy, such as
La Fenice in Venice, the
Teatro Regio in Turin,
Teatro Comunale in Florence and abroad, beginning with the
Glyndebourne Festival (
Don Giovanni in 1969). His
La Scala debut was as Timur in
Turandot in 1968, his
Metropolitan Opera debut was as Silva in
Ernani in 1970, and his
Covent Garden debut was as Fiesco in
Simon Boccanegra in 1972. In 1975, he made his
Paris Opera debut as Procida, followed by the title role in
Boris Godunov, and his
Salzburg Festival debut in 1980 as the King in
Aida (opposite
Mirella Freni as Aida,
Piero Cappuccilli as Amonasro, and
Jose Carreras as Radames, with
Karajan conducting). In 1986, he first directed a production of
Don Giovanni, and decided to continue his career as a director as well. Raimondi is especially well-known for his Rossini and Mozart roles, although he has also sung a lot of other bass roles in various repertories. Some of his most important roles have been King Philip in Verdi's
Don Carlos; Fiesco; the title roles in
Boris Godunov (including the
Andrzej Żuławski film) and
Attila; Silva; Escamillo in
Bizet's
Carmen (including the
Francesco Rosi film, 1984, with
Plácido Domingo and
Julia Migenes); the title role in
Don Giovanni (including the
Joseph Losey film, 1979); Count Almaviva in
The Marriage of Figaro; and Don Alfonso in
Così fan tutte; the title role in
Don Quichotte by
Massenet; and Scarpia in a recording of
Tosca later filmed live from Rome, with
Plácido Domingo and
Catherine Malfitano, conducted by
Zubin Mehta. He also made the television film
Six Characters in Search of a Singer. In 2008, Raimondi made his television debut in the mini-series
Le Sanglot des anges on French TV, in which he played the role of an Italian opera singer. In July 2011 he played the role of Pagano in Verdi's
I Lombardi alla prima crociata on the rooftop of
Milan Cathedral. The concert was organized by the
Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano to celebrate the 150th anniversary of
Italian unification. ==Recordings==