Enrico Caruso

NAME Enrico Caruso

WHAT FAMOUS FOR Enrico Caruso is renowned as one of the greatest operatic tenors of all time, whose powerful and emotive voice captivated audiences around the world. He became a pioneer in the recording industry, bringing opera to the masses through his phonograph records.

BIRTH Caruso was born on February 25, 1873, in Naples, Italy.

FAMILY BACKGROUND Caruso's father, Marcellino, was a mechanic and foundry worker and his mother a homemaker.

Caruso was the 18th of 21 children, though only two of his siblings survived infancy. His family was poor, and Caruso's childhood was marked by hardship.

CHILDHOOD Growing up in poverty in Naples, Caruso worked in a machine shop and ironworks as a boy. Despite his difficult circumstances, he was determined to pursue his passion for singing, performing in churches and on street corners to earn money for voice lessons.

EDUCATION Caruso's formal education was limited due to his family's financial constraints. However, his singing talent was recognized early on, and he pursued vocal training with the help of various teachers in Naples.

CAREER RECORD Caruso made his formal debut in 1894 in Naples in the opera L'Amico Francesco, though the performance was not successful. His breakthrough came in 1898 when he created the role of Loris in Umberto Giordano's Fedora. Caruso went on to become a global sensation, particularly known for his performances at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. He also became one of the first great singers to make phonograph records, with his recordings selling millions of copies.

APPEARANCE Caruso was a handsome man known for his robust physique, dark hair, and expressive features, which complemented his powerful stage presence.

Caruso in front of his white Empire-style upright piano, in his apartment in New York City

FASHION Caruso was known for his elegant and stylish dress, both on and off stage. He was a trendsetter and his fashion choices often influenced the public. He often dressed in elegant suits that reflected his status as an international opera star.

CHARACTER Caruso was a charismatic and warm individual, beloved by his peers and fans alike. He was known for his generosity and kind-hearted nature.

SENSE OF HUMOUR Caruso had a playful and jovial sense of humor. He often entertained friends and colleagues with his jokes and anecdotes and sketched caricatures of his friends and colleagues for fun.

RELATIONSHIPS Prior to World War I, Caruso was involved in a romantic relationship with Italian soprano Ada Giachetti, who was his senior. Despite being married, Giachetti and Caruso shared a liaison from 1897 to 1908, resulting in four sons, only two of whom, Rodolfo (1898-1951) and Enrico Jr. (1904-1987), survived infancy. Giachetti left her husband and another son to live with Caruso. 

Towards the end of World War I, Caruso’s life took a different turn when he met and fell in love with New York socialite Dorothy Benjamin. They married on August 18, 1918, despite her father’s objections, and had a daughter, Gloria (1919-1999).

Dorothy and Enrico Caruso, 1918

MONEY AND FAME Caruso was one of the highest-paid singers of his time, earning substantial sums from his performances and recordings. He was also a shrewd businessman, making wise investments that contributed to his wealth.

FOOD AND DRINK Caruso enjoyed hearty Italian cuisine and was known to have a healthy appetite. Despite his fondness for rich foods, he was a heavy smoker, particularly of strong Egyptian cigarettes.

One of the more extraordinary moments in his life occurred on April 18, 1906. Caruso, having just performed as Don José in Carmen at San Francisco's Grand Opera House, was rudely awakened by the infamous San Francisco earthquake. As the city crumbled around him, Caruso fled his hotel, clutching an autographed photo of President Theodore Roosevelt as if it might offer some protection from the collapsing buildings. Remarkably composed, he made his way to the St. Francis Hotel for breakfast, where he devoured bacon and eggs before hightailing it out of the city by boat and train. He never returned to San Francisco, a vow he kept to the letter.

MUSIC AND ARTS Enrico Caruso, it seems, was a man who would not let the world ignore him. Determined to become a singer despite growing up in the shadow of Naples' less-than-glamorous ironworks, he took to the streets and churches to earn money for lessons. His voice, even in its early stages, was so arresting that when the army came calling, a high-ranking officer, who had the good fortune to hear him sing, promptly decided that the army’s loss would be the world’s gain and sent him off to pursue his musical studies instead.

In 1894, Caruso made his formal debut in Naples in an opera called L'Amico Francesco, which, rather unhelpfully, was a flop. But Caruso wasn’t deterred. Four years later, in 1898, he hit the jackpot with his creation of the role of Loris in Umberto Giordano's Fedora, and national acclaim came at him like an express train.

Now, here's where things get interesting. Caruso didn’t just have a magnificent voice; he had impeccable timing. On April 11, 1902, just as the phonograph was about to change the way people consumed music forever, Caruso was engaged by the Gramophone & Typewriter Company to record ten arias in a Milan hotel room. He was paid £100 for his trouble, a tidy sum at the time, and the resulting discs became instant best-sellers. His fame spread across Europe and America with a speed that today’s viral videos would envy.

One of these recordings, "Vesti la giubba" from Leoncavallo's Pagliacci, made history as the first sound recording to sell a million copies. To put this in perspective, it was cheaper to buy a ticket to see Caruso live than to buy the record, yet people snapped up the discs as if they were gold dust.

Caruso’s career saw him perform in nearly every corner of Europe and the Americas. He sang predominantly in French and Italian but displayed an impressive linguistic flexibility, managing to pick up seven other languages along the way. His most celebrated roles included the tragic clown in Pagliacci and the lovesick Rodolfo in La Bohème, which became his signature pieces.

Caruso continued to break new ground, including participating in the first public radio broadcast in the United States in 1910, beaming his voice directly from the stage of the Metropolitan Opera House to astonished listeners.

In his private life, Caruso was equally unique. He had a fondness for singing in the bath, accompanied by a pianist stationed in the next room. In fact, he was so devoted to his baths that he took two a day, possibly believing that cleanliness was next to godliness—or at least next to vocal perfection.

Caruso's life revolved around music. Opera was his passion, but he also appreciated other forms of art, such as painting and sculpture. He had a talent for drawing and often sketched caricatures.

LITERATURE  Caruso enjoyed reading in his spare time. However, specific literary preferences are unknown.

NATURE Caruso enjoyed spending time in the countryside, particularly at his villa near Florence, where he could retreat from the demands of his career.

PETS Caruso was fond of animals and had several pets throughout his life, though specific details are scarce.

HOBBIES AND SPORTS Caruso enjoyed playing cards for relaxation and was also an avid collector, amassing valuable collections of rare postage stamps, coins, watches, and antique snuffboxes.

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY Caruso was a man of deep faith, and his Catholic beliefs were an important part of his life.

He was superstitious and habitually carried several good-luck charms with him when he sang. 

POLITICS Caruso was not heavily involved in politics, though he did participate in charity work, particularly during World War I, raising funds for war-related causes.

SCANDAL In 1906, Caruso was charged with an indecent act in New York's Central Park Zoo, accused of pinching a woman's bottom. He claimed a monkey was responsible, but he was found guilty and fined $10. The incident was widely publicized, but it did not significantly harm his career.

MILITARY RECORD Caruso briefly served in the Italian army, but a high-ranking officer, impressed by his voice, allowed him to leave and continue his studies.

When America joined the Great War in 1917, Caruso didn’t just sit on the sidelines and sing about love. He rolled up his sleeves and became a bona fide patriot. The guy gave concerts, sold Liberty Bonds like hotcakes, and generally threw himself into helping out the war effort.

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS Caruso's heavy smoking and grueling performance schedule took a toll on his health, contributing to the ill-health that plagued him in the final year of his life.

HOMES Caruso purchased the Villa Bellosguardo near Florence in 1904, which became his retreat. In New York, he resided in a suite at the Knickerbocker Hotel.

TRAVEL Caruso toured extensively, performing in nearly every country in Europe, as well as in North and South America.

DEATH Caruso breathed his last at the Hotel Vesuvio in Naples on the morning of August 2, 1921. He was just 48. Doctors blamed a burst internal abscess for the fatal peritonitis. 

The King of Italy honored the beloved tenor by opening the Royal Basilica of San Francesco di Paola for his funeral, a grand affair attended by thousands of mourners. His body was preserved in a glass case at Naples’ Del Pianto Cemetery for public viewing, a heart-wrenching spectacle. 

In 1929, his widow, Dorothy, had the coffin sealed forever in a magnificent stone tomb.

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA Caruso's voice lives on through his numerous recordings, and he has been the subject of several biographies, including those written by his wife, Dorothy. Here’s a look at some of the other notable appearances and portrayals of Caruso in media:

Film: The Great Caruso (1951): One of the most famous films about Caruso, The Great Caruso, stars Mario Lanza as the legendary tenor. The film is a highly fictionalized account of Caruso’s life, emphasizing his rise to fame and his romantic entanglements. Despite taking liberties with historical accuracy, the film was a box office success and further cemented Caruso’s legendary status in popular culture.

Television: The Simpsons: Caruso has been referenced in the long-running animated series The Simpsons. In one episode, Homer Simpson imagines himself singing with a voice "as smooth as Enrico Caruso," a nod to the tenor's legendary vocal quality.

The Sopranos: In an episode of The Sopranos, Caruso’s music is played in the background, reinforcing the show’s frequent use of Italian-American cultural references and its emphasis on the operatic themes of drama, power, and tragedy.

Video Game: Assassin’s Creed II: Although not directly appearing, Caruso's music is featured in the Assassin’s Creed series, set in historical Italy. The inclusion of his music helps to create an authentic atmosphere, capturing the period's cultural richness

ACHIEVEMENTS Caruso's greatest achievement was his unparalleled vocal talent and his contribution to the world of opera. He is considered one of the most influential and beloved singers of all time.

Source Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia © 1998 The Learning Company, Inc