Paride Venturi

died November 2008

Venturi was a direct pupil of Arturo Melocchi. He seems to have had a rather modest career, although the above recording certainly proves that he knew to heat up an audience; anyway, his real importance lay in his later work as a much-loved voice teacher. Among his students were William Matteuzzi (shudder) and Carlo Colombara. When Venturi died in 2008, he was hailed as "one of the last great voice teachers"; strangely, though, nobody spoke of his own career.

I wish to thank Georges Cardol for the recording.