Renato Cioni
Renato Cioni (15 April 1929 – 4 March 2014) was an Italian operatic lyric tenor, particularly associated with the Italian repertory.
Born in Portoferraio on the Isle of Elba, the son of a fisherman, Cioni received his main musical education at the Cherubini Conservatory in Florence. In 1956, as a result of winning an international voice contest organized by the Rome Opera, he made his stage debut at Spoleto, as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor. Earlier that same year he had appeared as Pinkerton, in a television production of Madama Butterfly, opposite another debutante, Anna Moffo.
Cioni's career expanded thereafter, with debuts in such cities as Rome, Naples, Palermo, Venice, Genoa, Trieste, Bologna, and Catania. He made his La Scala debut on 4 March 1961, as Pinkerton, under Gianandrea Gavazzeni.
Outside of Italy, in 1959, Cioni made his American debut at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia, followed by a concert performance of Il duca d'Alba at Carnegie Hall in New York, which he had also sung earlier that year at the Spoleto Festival. He made his debut at the San Francisco Opera in 1961, as Edgardo. His UK debut was at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in 1962. His Metropolitan Opera was in 1970, as Pollione, opposite Joan Sutherland and Marilyn Horne.
Podcasts:
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by Spinal Tap
Rainy Day Sun
by: Spinal TapHere she comes, that Rainy Day Sun,
Peeking in and out the falling raindrops;
Smiling down on everyone.
In her golden, gossamer gown,
And a necklace of the finest rainbows;
Drying out this rainy day town.
Good-bye, Cloudy Skies!
Here she comes! Here she comes to...
Cut them down to size,
And dry the tears in my eyes.
Here she comes that Rainy Day Sun,
Like a moppet at a birthday party;
Rainy day's not spoiling her fun.
Open up the top of your mind;
Catch the water in your magic paint-box,
Oh, the many colors you find!
Good-bye, Cloudy Skies!
Here she comes! Here she comes to...
Cut them down to size,