Giacomo Aragall

Jaume Aragall i Garriga (Catalan pronunciation: [ˈʒawmə əɾəˈɣaʎ]; born 6 June 1939), better known as Giacomo Aragall, is a Spanish operatic tenor, considered one of the best ever, not just for the beauty of his voice but also for the wonderful way of singing and acting.

He made his debut in L'amico Fritz by Pietro Mascagni at La Scala when aged 23, the youngest tenor to make his debut there. He appeared in operas by Mascagni, Puccini, Donizetti, Bellini, Verdi, Massenet, Cilea, Gounod, Hindemith and Haydn. He also performed on all of the leading opera stages throughout the world such as in Milan, Rome, Berlin, the United States and Paris.

Early life and education

Aragall was born on 6 June 1939 in Barcelona. He became a member of the Choir of the Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar at the age of nine, and at the age of 19 he began his singing studies under the direction of Professor Jaime Francisco Puig. He made his debut at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in the 1961-1962 season in the roles of Arlecchino in Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo and Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor by Gaetano Donizetti. Thanks to the economic support of the Board of Proprietors of the Gran Teatro del Liceu, he went to Milan to complete his studies with Professor Vladimiro Badiali. Within a few months he had won the first prize and the Gold Medal in the world famous International Competition “Voci Verdian” at Busseto.