Italian postcard by Casa Editrice Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 849.
French postcard by S.I.P. in the Collection Artistique du Vin Désilés. Photo: Alfred Ellis & Walery.
Who sent you to me? God himself?
Enrico Caruso was born in Naples in 1873 into a poor family. He was the third of seven children to a poor alcoholic father. His early life was marked by hardship and a nascent passion for singing that found expression in local churches and on the streets.
Some teachers found his voice untrainable, but he persisted and briefly studied music with conductor Vicenzo Lombardini. His formal training helped shape his natural talent. His professional debut came in 1895 at a back street theatre in Naples. Then followed by years of performing across Italy and beyond, during which he built his repertoire and reputation.
In the summer of 1897, he auditioned for Giacomo Puccini. Puccini was looking for a leading tenor for a performance of 'La Boheme' in Livorno. Puccini was so impressed with the range and tone of the young Caruso's voice that he reportedly mumbled in awe, "Who sent you to me? God himself?" In 1900, he made his debut at La Scala in Milan, a major milestone that sealed his status as one of Italy's most promising talents.
In May 1902, Caruso debuted at the Covent Garden Opera in 'Rigoletto' by Giuseppe Verdi. His first recording contract was also signed in 1902, in London, with the Gramophone and Typewriter Company for ten arias at the rate of 10 pounds per take. It was a decision that would transform both his career and the music industry itself. His 1902 recording of 'Vesti la giubba' from Leoncavallo's 'Pagliacci' became the first record to sell over a million copies, making Caruso a household name and arguably the world’s first recording superstar.
His fame quickly spread across the Atlantic. With the help of the banker Pasquale Simonelli, he went to New York. There, Caruso made his Metropolitan Opera debut in November 1903. Enrico Caruso would reign as the leading tenor of The Met for 18 consecutive seasons, from 1903 until shortly before his death. He made 607 appearances in 37 different operatic productions.
German postcard by Gerlach, no. 5014, distributed in the USA by Breitkopf & Härtel, New York. Photo: Martens.
Italian postcard. Collection: Didier Hanson.
Ventures into the nascent world of cinema
Enrico Caruso’s career at the Metropolitan Opera was the pinnacle of his professional life. He captivated audiences in roles such as Rodolfo in Giacomo Puccini's 'La bohème', Radamès in Giuseppe Verdi's 'Aida', and the Duke in Verdi's 'Rigoletto'.
Steve Shelokhonov at IMDb: "His voice had a combination of the full baritone-like character with the smooth and brilliant tenor qualities. His range was broadened into baritone at the expense of the higher tenor notes. Caruso never sang the high C, and often transposed in order to avoid it." His powerful stage presence was matched only by the commercial success of his recordings, which brought his voice into millions of homes. His unprecedented success made him a wealthy man and a bona fide celebrity, sought after by high society and adored by the public.
Beyond the stage and the recording studio, Caruso ventured into the nascent world of cinema. He appeared in five films during the latter part of his career, leveraging his immense fame to experiment with the new medium. His film career began with a single appearance in a silent documentary, Enrico Caruso (Bruno Zirato, 1918), a short film showcasing the star off-stage.
More significantly, he starred in two fictional silent features for the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation (which would become Paramount Pictures). The first was My Cousin (Edward José, 1918), where he played a dual role: both a celebrated tenor named Tommaso Garnerone and his impoverished, look-alike cousin. This was followed by The Splendid Romance (Edward José, 1919), another dramatic role.
His final two film appearances were in a single release, a short silent film titled Enrico Caruso (Bruno Zirato, 1919), comprising two segments: The Dumb Cavalier (Bruno Zirato, 1919) and The World’s Most Famous Tenor (Bruno Zirato, 1919). These film roles, though few, demonstrated Caruso's willingness to embrace new media and cemented his status as a modern celebrity.
Spanish postcard by Chocolate Amatller, marca Luna, Serie 11, no. 12.
Vintage 78 rpm record. Enrico Caruso sings 'Je crois entendre' encore from 'Les Pecheurs de perles' (Georges Bizet). His Master's Voice, no. 2-032026 (recorded 7 December 1916 in New York ). The record is only registered on one side, typical for early first records. Hear the song: Je crois entendre encore.
Sending shockwaves around the world
Enrico Caruso’s life was tragically cut short. After falling ill during a performance of 'L'elisir d'amore' in 1920, his health rapidly deteriorated. He had contracted pneumonia and developed a complication in the form of pleural inflammation (pleurisy), followed by abscesses in his lungs. He returned to his native Naples. After a series of unsuccessful surgeries, Enrico Caruso died in 1921 in Naples at the age of 48.
Caruso was the father of Rodolfo Caruso and singer/actor Enrico Caruso Jr., by an earlier relationship with soprano Ada Giachetti, and Gloria Caruso Murray by his marriage to Dorothy Benjamin Caruso.
He was laid to rest in Naples, Italy. His death sent shockwaves around the world, marking the end of an era. Caruso's influence, however, lived on, ensuring his life and voice remained a source of fascination and inspiration, leading to his portrayal in several films long after his death.
The most famous cinematic tribute is the Technicolour MGM musical biography The Great Caruso (Richard Thorpe, 1950). American tenor Mario Lanza starred as Caruso, and the hit film popularised Caruso's story for a new generation. Another film, a dramatic feature closer to home, was the Italian production Caruso, la leggenda di una voce / Caruso, legend of a voice (Giacomo Gentilomo, 1951), starring Ermanno Randi.
A more recent television movie, Caruso (Giacomo Battiato, 1987), also explored his life. He is pictured on a 22¢ US commemorative postage stamp in the Performing Arts series, issued in 1987. Both his pioneering recordings and the biopics that followed ensured that Enrico Caruso's legend never faded.
British postcard in the Picturegoer Series, London, no. D 40. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Mario Lanza in The Great Caruso (Richard Thorpe, 1951).
German special issue of Das neue Film-Programm. Photo: MGM. Mario Lanza and Jarmila Novotna in The Great Caruso (Richard Thorpe, 1951).
Sources: Steve Shelokhonov (IMDb), Encyclopaedia Britannica, Wikipedia and IMDb.
