GIORGIO TOZZI
SINGER
8-1-1923 - 30-5-2011
THE American operatic bass, Giorgio Tozzi, who once pawned his clothes to pay for singing lessons, died of a heart attack in Bloomington, Indiana, aged 88.
Tozzi appeared for 21 seasons at New York's Metropolitan Opera House while also making a career in musicals such as Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific his dubbed singing can be heard in the popular 1958 movie.
Tozzi transcended the bass's typically anonymous, supportive roles to become an opera headliner in his own right. He made his professional debut on Broadway in 1948 in the American premiere of Benjamin Britten's The Rape of Lucretia, in which he played Tarquinius to Kitty Carlisle's Lucretia.
A tall, imposing singer, Tozzi mastered more than 60 roles during his career and was best known for portraying the title characters in Mozart's Don Giovanni and Modest Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov, as well as Hans Sachs in Richard Wagner's Die Meistersinger, Figaro in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, and Philip II in Verdi's Don Carlo.
Born George John Tozzi in Chicago, he took singing lessons in his teens and entered DePaul University intending to become a biologist, but switched to music.
After serving with the US Army in World War II and making his Broadway debut, Tozzi made a brief appearance in July 1949 at the Adelphi Theatre, London, in the musical Tough at the Top.
He then studied with Giulio Lorandi in Milan where, in the style of La Boheme, he fell heavily into debt. After pawning two cameras and other belongings, he resorted to pledging his clothes what little money he had covered his lessons. "I paid this religiously, whether I ate or not," he said.
By 1953 he had recovered his shirt and was being heard at La Scala, Milan. Returning to the United States two years later (by now known as Giorgio, thanks to the marketing department of RCA Records), he went straight to the Met, making his debut in Ponchielli's La Gioconda.
In 1965, he declined a part in the Met's Antony and Cleopatra, which would have ended the careers of many singers, but the Met's general manager, Rudolf Bing, instead granted Tozzi, who had previously sung Pogner in Die Meistersinger, the even more demanding part of Hans Sachs. His final appearance was in 1975 in La Boheme, alongside the young Jose Carreras.
He returned to Broadway in 1979 to star in Frank Loesser's The Most Happy Fella, for which he was nominated for a Tony award. He also received three Grammys, one of which was for his role in Georg Solti's 1963 Aida recording. While at the Met he taught at the Juilliard School, and in retirement he was a professor at Indiana University. He also published a novel, The Golem of the Golden West (1997).
Catherine Dieringer, whom he married in 1954, predeceased him he married secondly, in 1967, the soprano Monte Amundsen, who survives him with a son and a daughter.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
Who was Giorgio Tozzi and why is he notable in opera history?
Giorgio Tozzi (born George John Tozzi, 1923–2011) was an American operatic bass famous for transcending traditional supporting bass roles to become a headline star. He sang for 21 seasons at New York’s Metropolitan Opera, performed at La Scala and on Broadway, won three Grammys, and later taught at Juilliard and Indiana University.
What were Giorgio Tozzi’s most famous opera roles and signature performances?
Tozzi was best known for title and leading bass roles including Don Giovanni (Mozart), Boris Godunov (Mussorgsky), Hans Sachs in Wagner’s Die Meistersinger, Figaro in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, and King Philip II in Verdi’s Don Carlo.
Which major opera houses and theaters did Giorgio Tozzi perform at during his career?
Tozzi appeared at major venues including New York’s Metropolitan Opera (21 seasons), Milan’s La Scala, Broadway in New York, and London’s Adelphi Theatre. He also made his Met debut in Ponchielli’s La Gioconda.
How did Giorgio Tozzi finance his early singing lessons when he was studying in Milan?
While studying in Milan with teacher Giulio Lorandi, Tozzi fell into debt and pawned two cameras and other belongings — even pledging his clothes — to pay for singing lessons. He said he paid for lessons “religiously, whether I ate or not.”
What awards, recordings and recognitions did Giorgio Tozzi receive?
Tozzi received three Grammy Awards, including one for his role on Georg Solti’s 1963 Aida recording. He was also nominated for a Tony Award for his 1979 Broadway starring role in Frank Loesser’s The Most Happy Fella.
Did Giorgio Tozzi have a role in music education and academia?
Yes. While singing at the Metropolitan Opera he taught at the Juilliard School, and in retirement he served as a professor at Indiana University, continuing a significant career in vocal pedagogy.
When did Giorgio Tozzi make his professional debut and what were key milestones in his career timeline?
Tozzi made his professional Broadway debut in 1948 in the American premiere of Benjamin Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia. He appeared briefly in London in 1949, was heard at La Scala by 1953, returned to the U.S. and debuted at the Met (mid-1950s) in La Gioconda, and made his final Met appearance in 1975 in La Bohème alongside a young José Carreras.
What personal background and life details are notable about Giorgio Tozzi?
Born George John Tozzi in Chicago, he originally intended to study biology at DePaul University before switching to music. He served in the U.S. Army in World War II, married Catherine Dieringer in 1954 (who predeceased him), and married soprano Monte Amundsen in 1967, who survived him along with a son and a daughter. He also published a novel, The Golem of the Golden West (1997).
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