After his debut in 1895 in Naples, Italy, star tenor Enrico Caruso (1873-1921) performed in 61 roles in 24 years. This is a summary of his fantastic international career, shown in 49 photo-slides
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In the title role in Faust (Gounod)
After his debut in “L´Amico Francesco” in 1895, Faust was his first important role (Caserta, 1895)
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As Turiddu, in Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni)
He debuted on this role also in Caserta in 1895
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A playbill from 1901 announcing a performance of Rigoletto (Verdi) in Bologna
He had debuted on this role in Napoli, 1895. By 1901, his reputation as a tenor was alredy well established
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Playbill announcing Caruso´s first performance ever at the Met Opera
Opening night season 1903-1904, Caruso singing with Marcella Sembrich and Antonio Scotti in the cast
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As the Duke of Mantua, Met Opera (New York), season 1903-04
His debut role at the Met Opera
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As Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti)
He debuted on this role in Cairo (Egypt) in 1895
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Playbill announcing Caruso in La Gioconda (Ponchielli), 1897
Performed in this opera for the first time in Cairo, Egypt, in 1895. Opera impresario Lombardi was also his teacher
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As Enzo, in La Gioconda
A later photo on this role
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As Arturo, in I Puritani (Bellini)
His debut in this opera was in 1896 in Salerno, Italy
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As Fernando, in La Favorita (Donizetti) at Teatro Mercadante, Napoli
Debuted in this role in Salerno, 1896
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With baritone Enrico Piganataro, probably in “A San Francisco” (Sebastiani)
Debuted on this opera in 1896 in Salerno – Rare photo, from around that time
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As Don Jose in Carmen, Met Opera
Debuted in this opera in Salerno, 1896
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As Rodolfo, in La Boheme (Puccini) in St. Petersburg, Russia, 1898 – His debut role there
Debuted in this role in Livorno, 1897
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Also as Rodolfo in La Boheme
A later photo, at the Metropolitan Opera (New York)
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As Canio, in Pagliacci – His signature role
Caruso debuted on this role in Milan, 1897 – later, it became his most famous role
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In Pagliacci, at the Met Opera
Starting in 1903 and for the next 17 years, Caruso performed 116 times in this opera at the Metropolitan Opera in New York
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As Marcello, the paiter, in La Boheme (Leoncavallo)
Caruso performed on this role for the first time in Genova, 1898
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As Nadir, in Le Pecheurs de Perles (The Pearl Fishers) by Bizet
Caruso´s debut in this role at Teatro Carlo Felice in Genova, 1898 – Shown with Giuseppe de Luca as Zurga
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Also as Nadir, in The Pearl Fishers (Bizet)
A later photo in this opera, at the Metropolitan Opera. Shown with Giuseppe de Luca, Frieda Hempel and Leon Rothier
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As Faust in Mefistofele (by Arrigo Boito)
Caruso debuted in this role in Fiume, 1898
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Self caricature with Umberto Giordano (right), composer of “Fedora”
Caruso created the role of Loris Ipanov in the world premiere of “Fedora”, conducted by the composer at La Scala, Milan, 1898.
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As Osaka, in Iris (by Pietro Mascagni)
Caruso debuted in this role in Buenos Aires, 1899
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As Radames in Aida (Verdi) at the Metropolitan Opera, New York
Caruso debuted in this role in 1900 in St. Petersburg, Russia
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As Riccardo, in Un Ballo in Maschera (Verdi) at the Metropolitan Opera
Caruso debuted in this role in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1900
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As Des Grieux, in Manon (Massenet)
Caruso debuted in this role in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1900
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As Cavaradossi, in Tosca (Puccini) at the Metropolitan Opera
Caruso debuted in this role in Treviso, Italy, in 1900
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As Nemorino in L´Elisir d´Amore, with Frieda Hempel
Caruso debuted in this role in 1901 in Milan, Italy
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Self caricature as Federico Loewe in Germania (by Alberto Franchetti)
Caruso created this role in the world premiere of this opera at La Scala, Milan, in 1902
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As Raoul in Les Huguenots (Meyerbeer)
Caruso debuted in this role at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, in 1905
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As Lionel in Martha (by Friedrich von Flotow) at the Metropolitan Opera
Caruso debuted in this role in 1906 at the Metropolitan Opera, New York
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Self caricature as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly (Puccini)
Caruso´s first performance in this role at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, in 1906
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As Riccardo, in Un Ballo in Maschera (Verdi) at the Metropolitan Opera
Caruso debuted in this role in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1900
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As Manrico in Il Trovatore (Verdi)
Caruso´s debut in this role was at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, 1908
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As Renaud, in Armide (by Christoph W. Gluck) – Metropolitan Opera, New York
Caruso´s debut in this tole was at the Met in 1910
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As Dick Johnson in La Fanciulla del West (Puccini)
Caruso created this role in the world premiere of the opera at the Met Opera in 1910 – With the composer´s presence
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In La Fanciulla del West, with Emmy Destinn as Minnie
Photo from the world premiere production at the Met Opera, 1910
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In the title role in Julien (by Gustave Charpentier) at the Metropolitan Opera, New York
Shown with Geraldine Farrar as Louise. Opera had been premiered in Paris in 1913, Caruso performed as Julien for the first time in 1914 at the Met.
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As Samson in Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saens) at the Metropolitan Opera
Caruso performed this role for the first time in 1916 at the Metropolitan Opera, New York
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As Jean of Leyden in Le Prophete, Metropolitan Opera
Caruso debuted in this role in this Met Opera production in 1918. Shown with Claudia Muzio as Berthe
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As Don Alvaro in La Forza del Destino (Verdi) at the Metropolitan Opera
Caruso debuted in this role in 1918 at the Met. Shown here with Giuseppe de Luca as Don Carlo
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Also as Don Alvaro in La Forza del Destino
Shown with Jose Mardones as Padre Guardiano and Rosa Ponselle in her debut role as Leonora
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As Eleazar in La Juive (by Fromental Halevy)
This was the last new role for him, which he performed for the first time at the Met Opera in 1919. Here he is shown with Rosa Ponselle as Rachel, his daughter.
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As Tommasso Longo, a sculptor, in the silent film “My Cousin” (1918)
Yet another role Caruso performed was in his only silent film, both as Tommaso Longo – a struggling sculptor – and Met Opera leading tenor Cesare Caroli.
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