Ugo Savarese

Who was Ugo Savarese?

Ugo Savarese was an Italian operatic baritone, particularly associated with the Italian repertory.

Savarese began his vocal studies in 1930 at the "Conservatorio San Pietro a Majella" in Naples with Maestro Conte. He made his stage debut in 1934, at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, singing small roles. He sang his first major role, Silvio, there in 1938, followed by Rigoletto and Germont.

Like most singers of his generation, his career was interrupted by military service. He resumed his career after being a prisoner in a German War Camp, appearing in Dachau. From then on, his career steadily progressed, with guest appearances at both the Opéra-Comique and the Palais Garnier in Paris, the Teatro Nacional Sao Carlos in Lisbon, the Liceu in Barcelona, the Teatro Real in Madrid, also appearing in London, Monte Carlo, Zurich, Brussels, etc., where he was particularly appreciated in Verdi roles.

He sang most of the baritone roles of the Italian repertory in opera such as; Macbeth, Il trovatore, Un ballo in maschera, Aida, La Gioconda, Fedora, Tosca, etc.

Saverese did not reached the fame of some of his contemporaries such as Tito Gobbi, Giuseppe Valdengo, Gino Bechi, but his many recordings demonstrate a well-schooled voice and sturdy performer, as in Il trovatore and Andrea Chénier, both opposite Renata Tebaldi, La traviata, opposite Maria Callas, La fanciulla del West, opposite Carla Gavazzi.