Pertile, Aureliano

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Pertile, Aureliano

Pertile, Aureliano,noted Italian tenor; b. Montagnana, Nov. 9, 1885; d. Milan, Jan. 11, 1952. He studied with Orefice and Fugazzola. He made his operatic debut in Martha in Vicenza in 1911; then sang in Naples (1914), at Milan’s La Scala (1916), and the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires (1918); made his Metropolitan Opera debut in N.Y. as Cavaradossi in Tosca (Dec. 1, 1921). He then returned to La Scala, where he gained renown for his portrayal of Faust in Mefistofele (1922); was a leading tenor there until 1937; also appeared at London’s Covent Garden (1927–31); retired from the stage (1946); taught at the Milan Cons, (from 1945). He was esteemed for such roles as Andrea Chénier, Manrico, Radames, Canio, and Don Alvaro; he created Boito’s Nerone and Mascagni’s Nerone.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire

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