The great basso buffo, Enzo Dara, dies at 78

Enzo Dara, who would have been 79 in October, has died in Mantua, his home town.

The exemplary Italian basso buffo died at 6pm yesterday afternoon in the town where he was born on 13 October 1938.

He was known for his great stage personality, his mastery of comic acting and timing, and extraordinary dexterity in his coloratura, throwing off each run which nonchalance, yet imbuing each phrase with intention and meaning.

Dara's opera debut was in Fano in 1960 when he played Colline in La bohème. However, other debuts such as in 1966 when he sang Dulcamara in L'elisir d'amore in Reggio Emilia were more indicative of his career. This became one of several calling cards in opera houses throughout the world (he sang it more than 100 times), together with Bartolo in Barbiere di Siviglia (400 performances), Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola (150), Don Pasquale, and other buffo roles.

He was a constant presence at the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, and his Barone di Trombonok in  Il viaggio a Reims cemented his reputation.

ENZO DARA – 13 October 1938, Mantua – 25 August 2017, Mantua

…an article with tributes from his colleagues will appear later.

Gramilano( Editor )

Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano') about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.

His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman's Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia' column for Dancing Times magazine.