Enzo Mascherini

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Enzo Mascherini (August 6, 1910, Florence - July 29, 1981, Livorno) was an Italian operatic baritone, one of the leading baritones of his generation in Italy.

He studied in Florence with Titta Ruffo and Riccardo Stracciari and made his debut there in 1937, as Germont in La traviata, and also sang at the premiere of Gian Francesco Malipiero's Antonio e Cleopatra, in 1938. He made his debut at the San Carlo in Naples, in 1939, and at La Scala in Milan, in 1940. He appeared in two legendary performances opposite Maria Callas, the first at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in 1951, as Montfort in I vespri siciliani, under Erich Kleiber, and on opening night of the 1952 season at La Scala, as Macbeth, under Victor de Sabata.

After the war, he began an international career, appearing in Paris, Vienna, Prague, London, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, Chicago, San Francisco, etc. He made his debut at the New York Metropolitan Opera in 1949, as Marcello in La bohème. He also went on tour in South Africa in 1951.

A fine singing-actor with a powerful voice and solid technique, he taught in Florence after retiring from the stage, among his pupils baritone Alexander Malta.

He can be heard on discs in Dom Sebastien, opposite Fedora Barbieri, La favorita, opposite Giulietta Simionato, Tosca, opposite Renata Tebaldi, and the aforementioned Macbeth and I vespri siciliani with Callas.