Luca Pisaroni (born 1975) is an Italian operaticbass-baritone, known for his roles inMozart's operas, but who has steadily expanded his repertoire into theBaroque as well as moving beyond into Rossini.
Although born inCiudad Bolívar,Venezuela, Pisaroni's family moved toBusseto in Italy – the home ofGiuseppe Verdi — when he was four years old. There, his father owned a car-repair firm and his mother was a teacher;[1] it was in that town where he noted "you feel Verdi's spirit all over the place!"[2] and where his love of opera began.
In Busseto, he states that "as a kid, I used to go to the opera with my grandfather, and when I was 11, I already knew I wanted to be an opera singer." While not actually attending the musical academy run by the famous local tenorCarlo Bergonzi—he listened-in to his master classes after school— Pisaroni was influenced by the tenor:
He began his training at theConservatorio Giuseppe Verdi in Milan, where he was not comfortable,[1] and so continued his studies for a year inBuenos Aires with Renato Sassola and Rozita Zozulya, and also in New York.
After his musical training in Milan, Buenos Aires and New York, Pisaroni's professional operatic debut was in the title role of Mozart'sLe Nozze di Figaro inKlagenfurt, in 2001. That same year, he was awarded the Eberhard-Wächter-Medal as "Newcomer of the Season" by theVienna State Opera.[3][4] Pisaroni sang Masetto at the 2002Salzburg Festival in Mozart'sDon Giovanni. These early appearances led to engagements throughout the world in the major Mozart operas.
Pisaroni has since appeared in major opera houses and festivals across Europe and America. In 2002, he debuted at theSalzburg Whitsun Festival with Haydn'sNelson Mass, and at theSalzburg Festival as Masetto inDon Giovanni, where he has performed every summer since.
Apart from the aforementioned roles, Pisaroni also has an extensive list of onstage performances to his credit. These include many Mozart roles such as Publio (fromLa Clemenza di Tito) for theSalzburg Festival at theAix-en-Provence Festival, as well as at theMetropolitan Opera. Leporello (fromDon Giovanni) at theTeatro Real in Madrid and theOpéra Bastille followed, then Figaro again atThe Santa Fe Opera as well as at the Met. At theThéâtre des Champs-Elysées he performed once more as Papageno inDie Zauberflöte. Guglielmo (fromCosì fan tutte) for the Netherlands Opera, theGlyndebourne Festival Opera, and the Salzburg Mozart Week were additions to his Mozart portrayals.
Pisaroni appeared as Alidoro inLa Cenerentola in Santiago, Chile, and, in 2012, as the title character inMaometto II at The Santa Fe Opera, which presented the world premiere of the newcritical edition prepared byPhilip Gossett from the 1820 edition.
His Puccini roles have included Colline inLa bohème.
Pisaroni's appearances in Handel roles such as Tiridate inRadamisto at the Houston Opera, in addition to Achilla inGiulio Cesare forOpera Colorado and Melisso fromAlcina, have been distinguished, but regarding his attitude to singing moreBaroque opera and, specifically, in response to a question as to whether he might do someCavalli or someVivaldi in addition, he stated:
In a different vein, he sang Caliban in the baroquepasticcioThe Enchanted Island at the Met in 2011[1] and he returned there in April/May 2014 for performances inLa Cenerentola.[5] He returned to the Met in 2015 as Leporello in the company's production ofDon Giovanni.
In concert performances, Pisaroni has sung Zebul inHändel'sJephtha with theBerlin Philharmonic, conducted byNikolaus Harnoncourt.
He has also performedMichael Haydn'sRequiem in C minor under Ivor Bolton, andMozart'sMass in C Minor underMarc Minkowski, both at the Salzburg Festival.
Furthermore, Pisaroni also hasNiccolò Piccinni'sIphigénie en Tauride with the Orchestre National de France,Mozart'sCoronation Mass at theThéâtre des Champs-Elysées, andVivaldi'sOrlando Furioso inToulouse andBrussels under his belt, the last two with Jean-Christophe Spinosi.
He has a keen interest in lieder, and has linked his living in Vienna with his love of Schubert. Among other composers represented in his song recitals are Beethoven,Reichardt, Brahms and Liszt.[1]
It was through his 2002 appearance in Salzburg that Pisaroni met both the American baritoneThomas Hampson (who was singing the Don) and his daughter Cate. Cate and Pisaroni were subsequently married[1] and made their home in Vienna.[6].
After separating in 2022 they divorced in December 2023.
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