The Italian tenor Daniele Barioni, an internationally renowned opera singer between the 1950s and 1970s, has died at the age of 92 during the night from Saturday to Sunday, Nov. 6. Daniele Barioni began studying singing in 1949 in Milan with Attilio Bordonali, his first studies were in the baritone repertoire. He made his singing debut that same year at Circolo Italia, Milan, in a concert with soprano Claudia Parada. His debut as an opera tenor was in 1954 in the part of Turiddu in Cavalleria rusticana at the Teatro Nuovo in Milan. In 1955 he toured Egypt and South Africa. He became famous by performing at the Metropolitan Opera in New York between 1956 and 1962. He then gave concerts in major theaters in the United States. Although for many years his career developed mainly in the United States, Barioni sang in Italy in various cities and theaters and in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Canada, Portugal, France, Germany and Ireland. His debut at La Scala in Milan was in 1966, where he sang Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly and Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana.
Daniele Barioni married Italian-American pianist Vera Franceschi in 1957. In 1958 his son Giulio was born. In 1966 his wife died prematurely of leukemia. Vera Franceschi’s death marked the decline of Daniele Barioni’s career as a singer. From 1975 to 1980 he made only brief appearances, the last in 1981 in a concert with Renata Tebaldi at the Teatro Comunale di Ferrara, where he received the 1980 Frescobaldi Prize.
