Mario Ancona

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Mario Ancona (1860-1931) was an Italian baritone, born in Livorno, Tuscany to a Jewish family.

A master of bel canto style, he made his debut in 1889. He created the role of Silvio, Nedda's lover, in Pagliacci in 1892. Ancona sang in variety of languages, including French, Italian, and German. He participated with Enrico Caruso in Pearl Fishers, and he sang in Milan, Buenos Aires, Madrid, Mexico City, New York, and Paris.

He died in Florence in 1931, of lung cancer. His legacy lives on, however, in a series of recordings, many of which can now be heard on CD.