ÍøÆغÚÁÏ

Giangiacomo Guelfi studied at the Centro Lirico in Florence, as well as with legendary Italian baritone Titta Ruffo, and made his opera debut in the title role of Verdi's Rigoletto in 1950, an exceptionally young age for such a work. He won the Spoleto Experimental Theater Prize and made his La Scala debut in 1952 as The Visitor in Castro's Proserpina y el extranjero. He made his London debut two years later at Drury Lane as Gerard in Giordano's Andrea Chénier. Though he drew considerable acclaim in a 1957 performance of Verdi's I due Foscari in Venice, and he was considered a rising star during the late '50s and early '60s, it was not until his 1964 performance of Verdi's Macbeth at La Scala that he was acknowledged as a full-fledged star. He made his Metropolitan debut in 1970 as Scarpia in Puccini's Tosca. He was particularly admired during his prime for his powerful voice, but like many possessors of such voices, occasionally indulged in bellowing and, toward the end of his career, relied excessively on extra-musical vocal effects.

Though he was a composer of some distinction, Fernando Previtali is best remembered as a brilliant conductor of the classic Italian operas, especially those of Verdi, and for his advocacy of contemporary orchestral music, particularly of works by Busoni, Ghedini, and Dallapiccola. But Previtali's tastes extended into the realm of mainstream instrumental music as well, taking in a vast range of works by Mozart, Schumann, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and many others. His own musical compositions are virtually forgotten today, though some had attracted attention in their day, including the 1945 ballet Allucinazioni. Though Previtali has been dead for more than two decades, many of his recordings are still widely available on a range of labels, including RCA, Gala, Opera d'Oro, Fonit, and Urania.

Previtali was born in Adria, Italy, on February 16, 1907. At the Turin Conservatory he studied organ, cello (under Pietro Grossi) and composition (under Franco Alfano). He launched his career as a cellist, playing in the Turin-based Teatro Regio Orchestra.

In 1928 he relocated to Florence where he worked with conductor Vittorio Gui and became instrumental in the founding of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Orchestra. He was appointed deputy conductor of that ensemble and served in that capacity until 1936, the year he became resident conductor of the Rome Radio Symphony Orchestra. But for a year-long hiatus in 1944, he held the post at the RRSO until 1953. During his Rome years, Previtali premiered several important operas, including the 1939 Re Hassan by Ghedini and Dallapiccola's one-act masterpiece Volo di notte, from 1940.

Previtali accepted the appointment as conductor at the Academy of Santa Cecilia in 1953 and held the post seven years. During his tenure there, he made many successful European and American tours with the ensemble. From 1960-1967 he was principal conductor of the Buenos Aires Teatro Colon Orchestra.

Previtali served as principal conductor at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples starting in 1972. Throughout much of his career he held master classes in conducting, particularly at the Academy of Santa Cecilia and at La Scala. Most of his available recordings were made in the latter half of his career and include Verdi's Luisa Miller (with Carreras and Ricciarelli) on Opera d'Oro, Verdi's Il Trovatore (from 1957, with del Monaco and Gencer) on a Hardy Classics DVD, and the Mozart Piano Concertos No. 17 and No. 23, with Robert Casadesus on Archipel.