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Titta Ruffo

Titta Ruffo (9 June 1877 – 5 July 1953), born as Ruffo Cafiero (double forename) Titta, was an Italian operatic baritone who had a major international singing career. Known as the "Voce del leone" ("voice of the lion"), he was greatly admired, even by rival baritones, such as Giuseppe De Luca, who said of Ruffo: "His was not a voice, it was a miracle" (although not often published is the second part of De Luca's conclusion "which he [Ruffo] bawled away..."), and Victor Maurel, the creator of Verdi's Iago and Falstaff. Maurel said that the notes of Ruffo's upper register were the most glorious baritone sounds he had ever heard (see Pleasants, cited below). Indeed Walter Legge, the prominent classical record producer, went so far as to call Ruffo "a genius".

Birth and Death Data: Born June 8, 1877 (Pisa), Died July 5, 1953 (Florence)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1905 - 1929

Roles Represented in DAHR: baritone vocal, speaker

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 129 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor B-12620 10-in. 11/17/1912 Deh vieni alla finestra Titta Ruffo Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor B-12621 10-in. 11/17/1912 Buona Zazà, del mio buon tempo Titta Ruffo Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor B-12622 10-in. 11/17/1912 Alla vita che t'arride Titta Ruffo Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor B-12623 10-in. 11/17/1912 Non penso a lei Titta Ruffo Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor B-12658 10-in. 11/27/1912 Suonno 'e fantasia Titta Ruffo Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-12658 10-in. 2/15/1929 Suonno'e fantasia Titta Ruffo Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor B-12659 10-in. 11/27/1912 Visione Veneziana Titta Ruffo Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-12659 10-in. 3/22/1926 Visione Veneziana Titta Ruffo Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor B-12660 10-in. 11/27/1912 Zaza, piccola zingara Titta Ruffo Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor B-12661 10-in. 11/27/1912 Il balen del suo sorriso Titta Ruffo Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor B-12662 10-in. 11/27/1912 O de' verd' anni miei Titta Ruffo Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor B-14267 10-in. 1/5/1914 Aime fanciullo ancora Titta Ruffo Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor B-14268 10-in. 1/5/1914 Voila donc, la terrible cité Titta Ruffo Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor B-14269 10-in. 1/5/1914 E suonan le campane Titta Ruffo Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor C-14272 12-in. 1/8/1914 Si pel ciel Enrico Caruso ; Titta Ruffo Vocal duet (tenor and baritone), with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor C-14273 12-in. 1/8/1914 Enzo Grimaldi Enrico Caruso ; Titta Ruffo Vocal duet (tenor and baritone), with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor B-14274 10-in. 1/7/1914 Brindisi : Fin ch' han dal vino Titta Ruffo Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor B-14275 10-in. 1/7/1914 El guitarrico Titta Ruffo Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor C-14278 12-in. 1/7/1914 Credo Titta Ruffo Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor C-14279 12-in. 1/7/1914 Sei vendicata assai Titta Ruffo Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor C-14517 12-in. 2/26/1914 Aman lassu le stelle Titta Ruffo Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor B-14518 10-in. 2/26/1914 Tremin gl'insani del mio Titta Ruffo Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor B-14519 10-in. 2/26/1914 Oh che m'importa? Titta Ruffo Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor B-14520 10-in. 2/26/1914 Resta immobile Titta Ruffo Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor C-15888 12-in. 4/13/1915 I due granatieri Titta Ruffo Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
(Results 1-25 of 129 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Ruffo, Titta," accessed March 19, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/101957.

Ruffo, Titta. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 19, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/101957.

"Ruffo, Titta." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 19 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/101957

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