ITALIAN TENOR’S VISIT

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27634, 15 April 1955, Page 6

ITALIAN TENOR’S VISIT

TWO CONCERTS BY LUIGI INFANTINO One of Europe’s youngest and most acclaimed tenors, Luigi Infantino, aged 33, will give two concerts in Christchurch during his New Zealand tour. Infantino is largely unknown here except to recorded music enthusiasts, for he has made no films to date, and has not featured in any regular radio programmes heard over the New Zealand Broadcasting Service. However, he is well known in Europe and in the Americas, where he has already made several tours. Born in Sicily, Infantino was early trained as a musician, and played in the Italian Royal Naval Band. He

plays, piano, flute (on which he has specialised), saxophone, violin and woodwinds. When the Allies marched into Bologna, he was singing in the local opera house, and so impressed the head of the Entertainments National Service Association that he was engaged immediately for the reorganised San Carlo opera in Naples. He was soon christened as “the boy with the golden voice,’’ and began touring Europe. He has sung at Covent Garden, the Royal Festival Hall,’ at La Scala (Milan), the Paris Opera, Rome Opera, and with the opera company at the New York City Centre. Infantino’s wife is Sara Ferrati, one of Italy’s most celebrated dramatic actresses.