Born Bologna, 3 October 1941.
Italian bass.
Ruggero Raimondi studied in Rome under Edwige Ghibaudo, Teresa Pediconi and Piervenanzi. In 1964 he won the Adriano Belli Competition in Spoleto.
His debut in 1964 was also at Spoleto (Colline) then Procida (I vespri Siciliani). He was based at the Fenice in Venice from 1965 to '68 and has appeared at most of the major Italian houses, including Rome from 1965 and La Scala Milan, where he made his debut in Turandot (1968). His New York Met debut was in 1970 as Silva in Ernani.
In the UK he appeared at Glyndebourne in 1969 (Don Giovanni), then at Covent Garden from 1972 (Fiesco, Don Giovanni), and the Edinburgh Festival also 1972 (Attila).
He plays the title role in the Joseph Losey film of Don Giovanni.
His recordings include most of the major Verdi bass roles in Nabucco, I Lombardi, Ernani, Attila, Macbeth, I masnadieri, Rigoletto, I vespri siciliani, Simon Boccanegra, La forza del destino, Don Carlos, Aïda and the Requiem.
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