Tenor Giuseppe Di Stefano has died today, after more than three years of serious health problems due to an attack he suffered during a vacation in Kenya in 2004.
An era ends.
More later on these not unexpected but very sad news.
***update***
We knew that il maestro was very, very, desperately ill since that savage attack in his villa shortly after Christmas 2004, but the pain is still so present: the world loses one of the most beautiful -- yes, simply beautiful -- voices of the twentieth century, loses Di Stefano's charisma, the sheer power of his stage presence and the dramatic impact of his interpretations.
To add that he led a life full of joy but also of sorrow -- the loss of his daughter -- only makes the pain sharper. We wish that a man who gave so much joy to so many people for so many years -- a man of the South happily hungry for life who nevertheless carried his greatness so lightly that he liked to constantly pull pranks backstage, memorably making the fastidious Northerner nobleman Luchino Visconti furious the time when Di Stefano sprayed everybody with water thanks to a silly prank tie -- we wish such a man, who also lived a life of private generosity, had been spared the horror of burying his child, and had been granted a less painful exit from this world.
We have recently lost Luciano Pavarotti, that other giant, and we have recently commemorated the loss, 30 years ago, of Maria Callas. Maestro Di Stefano, whose recordings will survive as long as classical music is still listened to, belongs in the company of those giants, and with them he will always be remembered.
The end of an era, indeed. Another reason to dig out those old recordings. Ave vale atque.
Posted by: Donna Anna | March 03, 2008 at 04:26 PM
Oh no...
Posted by: Coloratura Tempura | March 03, 2008 at 04:39 PM
Riposa in pace
Posted by: Benvenuto | March 03, 2008 at 04:51 PM
Maestro Assoluto!
Posted by: Miguel | March 03, 2008 at 05:26 PM
The epoch of the great Italian tenors has ended with no replacement in sight. Now, the spanish/latino tenors reign but the opera kndom's still hoping for a miracle.
Posted by: Constantine A. Papas | March 03, 2008 at 05:46 PM
Addio MAESTRO. La voce che mi ha fatto innamorare dell'opera lirica.
Posted by: Ilaria | March 03, 2008 at 05:48 PM
This is an unspeakably sad moment...
OC, the haunting final Tosca aria touches me deeply. Taseteful and elegant, just as I wish to remember him.
Deepest thanks.
Posted by: CrewMantle | March 03, 2008 at 07:21 PM
Long one of my absolute favorite tenors. I never much cared for il signor Pavarotti; his voice was too keen-edged for my taste. Di Stefano's voice was a French horn to Pavarotti's trumpet, a sweet tone I listened to with great pleasure. Addio, Signore.
Posted by: Ken | March 03, 2008 at 07:42 PM
The Tosca recording with Callas, Gobbi, and Di Stefano still ranks among the very best commercial opera recordings ever made. Now we must bid "Addio, per sempre, addio" to yet another one of the great voices of the 20th century.
Posted by: Operacheek | March 03, 2008 at 08:05 PM
:-(((((((((((((((
Posted by: val | March 03, 2008 at 08:14 PM
One of the first opera recordings I ever listened to was 'La Boheme' with his Rodolpho and Maria's Mimi. I still listen to it today. My heart's breaking. He was one of the best.
Posted by: Tira | March 03, 2008 at 11:51 PM
r.i.p. maestro, you are much loved...
Posted by: amneris | March 04, 2008 at 03:01 AM
Wat een enorm verlies!
Hij was DE BESTE Cavaradossi (La Tosca)die ik gehoord heb!
Hij had - nà Beniamino GIGLI - de MOOISTE tenorstem ooit!
We zullen het niet bij "Una furtiva lagrima" laten. Er zullen méérdere tranen volgen!
Het ga je goed, Pippo. Dank voor de uren luistergenot van de hoogste kwaliteit.
Edgardo.
Posted by: gysbrechts edgard | March 04, 2008 at 12:41 PM
Pipo war der tenor mit der schönsten Stimme. Seine Intensität ist bis heute unerreicht.Es wird noch vie zeit vergehen, bis es wieder so eine Stimme geben wird. Du wirst uns fehlen
Posted by: von Klose | March 04, 2008 at 03:09 PM
He had such warmth and sunshine in his voice and in his personality - no wonder audiences loved him. Even those of us who never saw him on stage could fall under his spell.It was his voice on an album of opera duets with Callas that first made me love opera. RIP, dear Pippo, your suffering is over and you leave us with glorious recordings and memories. Thank you for the joy you brought us.
Posted by: operareg | March 04, 2008 at 06:52 PM
I am deeply saddened by Pippo's passing - he was the greatest tenor of the 20th. Century. God now has a new lead tenor, voice restored to it s full glory to gloriously sing for all eternity.
Posted by: Pippofan | March 04, 2008 at 09:47 PM
The La Scala opera recordings with Di Stefano, Callas and Gobbi taught me about opera when I was a child. I still have them all - now in CD of course - and to my mind their recording of Tosca will never be bettered. I remember the first time I heard Carreras sing back in 1971 and thought how like Pippo he sounded, particuarly the phrasing, and then heard him in an interview a week or so later saying that Pippo was his role model. He could be totally over the top at times, gave far too much, like Callas but these are the stars we remember most. I had not heard about his death so thank you for all the lovely posts
Posted by: Elaine | March 05, 2008 at 05:59 PM
Irreplaceable.
He had a beautiful dynamic control that not even Pav could do it.
Posted by: Abel | March 10, 2008 at 10:13 AM
De mooiste tenor aller tijden. You made my life more beautifull Pipo. Grazie mille!!!
Posted by: Ben Ottens | March 12, 2008 at 12:41 AM
Pippo the magnificent! Bravo Pippo! Bravo!Your gorgeous voice thrilled us and enriched our lives.
Posted by: Sheila Belter | March 18, 2008 at 03:00 AM