Encompass Arts

Italian lyric tenor Leonardo Caimi began 2011 with his February Beijing debut as Alfredo in La Traviata alongside Inva Mula and Juan Pons. In March, he reprised the role in the same production in Ascoli Piceno, Italy. He debuted at the Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova as Pinkerton, followed by his debut at the Teatro Lirico di Cagliari as Alfredo and then followed with the reprisal of his role as Errico Settebellizze in Nino Rota’s Napoli Milionaria. Further engagements and debuts for 2011 include: Rodolfo in La Boheme at the Puccini Festival of Torre del Lago, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly at the Teatro Verdi in Pisa, he then returns to the Teatro Carlo Felice as Rodolfo, and will sing Rodolfo again in 2012 at Opéra Tours, France. He was also invited by the Accademia Musicale Chigiana di Siena on the occasion of the 150th Anniversary of the Unification of Italy to perform in recital patriotic songs.

In November of 2010, a former BBC presenter wrote of Mr. Caimi’s Italian debut as Rodolfo in La Boheme, “Surely a tremendous future and greater international recognition awaits”. Following La Boheme, he performed in Florence with the ORT Puccini’s Messa di Gloria. For his performance as Errico Settebellizze from the worldwide revival of Nino Rota’s Napoli Millionaria at the 2010 Festival della Valle D’Itria, an Italian critic wrote, “..the quality of his voice is noteworthy for the beauty of timbre, elegance in phrasing and his musicality…”. Mr. Caimi made an unexpected debut at Torre del Lago last summer to help an indisposed tenor, stepping in from the audience to sing Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly under the baton of Eve Queler.

Other engagements include: Nemorino in L’Elisir d’Amore at the Teatro Bellini in Catania, Ciclamino in Cin Ci Là at the Teatro Filarmonico in Verona, Fenton in Falstaff at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma directed by F. Zeffirelli.

In 2007 he was invited to the Salzburg Festival to perform the role of Valeriano in the world premiere of Cimarosa’s Il ritorno di Don Calandrino conducted by M° R. Muti.

He made his debut at Teatro alla Scala of Milan with the Petite Messe solennelle by Rossini and the la Messa di Gloria by Mascagni under the direction of M° Bruno Casoni. After that he returned to La Scala with the opera 1984, written and conducted by M° Lorin Maazel.

His roles began with Paolino in Il Matrimonio Segreto, Ramiro in Cenerentola, Conte d’Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Cavalier Giocondo in La Pietra del Paragone, Orfeo in Orfeo ed Euridice. He then extended his repertoire to include Fenton in Falstaff (Teatro Verdi of Busseto, Teatro Petruzzelli of Bari), Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi (under the baton of M°Gelmetti at the Accademia Chigiana of Siena), Nemorino in L’Elisir d’Amore (throughout Lombardia) Alfredo in La Travita (Bergamo, Brescia, Cremona, Como, Pavia), Pinkerton in La Madama Butterfly (Stadt Theater of Bern). His vocal and theatrical versatility also allows him to tackle with ease the operetta repertoire as well. He has distinguished himself in the main roles of Paganini by F. Lehàr, Cin Ci Là and il Paese dei Campanelli by Lombardo-Ranzato, at the Teatro Verdi of Trieste and the Teatro Filarmonico of Verona, directed by Maurizio Nichetti and Gino Landi.

His has extensive concert performances which include, the Pomeriggi Musicali’s orchestra at the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan, the Teatro Regio of Turin for the “Associazione italiana amici di Josè Carreras per la lotta contro la leucemia”. Again under the baton of M° Lorin Maazel, he performed in Japan with Fondazione Toscanini’s orchestra in concerts of Verdi arias at the Yokoama Minato Mirai Hall and the Sapporo Concert Hall Kitara.

In 2002, he won the prestigious international contest “Toti dal Monte” in Treviso and was among the finalists of the 53rd edition of the international competition “G. B. Viotti” in Vercelli. In 2003, he was a finalist in the competition “Young Opera Singers in Europe” sponsored by As.Li.Co. In 2005, he won the 3rd prize at the 15th international competition “Rocca delle Macie”, the 2nd prize and special prize for “Best Tenor” at the 11th edition of the international contest for opera singers “Ferruccio Tagliavini” and the 3rd prize at the “Voci Verdiane” competition in Busseto. Mr. Caimi holds degrees in clarinet from the “F. Torrefranca” Conservatory in Vibo Valentia, voice from the “A. Corelli” Conservatory in Messina and a degree in philosophy at the University of Messina all received with highest honors.