Opera Singer. He was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and was known as "the king of tenors" in his day and the first Puerto Rican to reach international fame in the arts. Paoli's sister Amalia helped arrange a scholarship from Spain's Queen María Cristina, for Paoli. In 1882, he started his studies under that scholarship, at the Real Monasterio del Escorial. He later studied at the Academia de Canto La Scala in Milan, Italy in 1897, and subsequently debuted in Rossini's opera "William Tell", in Paris, only two years later. Paoli's great talent brought him much recognition across Europe. Shortly after appearing at Covent Garden in London he returned to Puerto Rico. His repertoire included the operas "Lohengrin" by Wagner and Verdi's "Il Trovatore." He also appeared in opera houses in Egypt, Palestine, Hungary, Belgium, Cuba, Chile, Haiti, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Canada, and the United States. Paoli was the first opera artist in the world to record an entire opera: Leoncavallo's "I Pagliacci", in 1907. Only three years later, Paoli was appointed "first tenor" by La Scala, in Milan, Italy. Paoli never appeared at the most famous opera hall Carnegie Hall in New York City, and some attribute this to the fact that his artistic rival, Enrico Caruso, was a shareholder of this institution. After reaching financial ruin, Paoli, sadly, became a prize fighter. In 1922 he started teaching voice in his native Puerto Rico, establishing a school together with his sister Amalia. His lot improved and he even helped produce the "Othello" at the Municipal Theater in San Juan shortly thereafter. The government of Puerto Rico awarded him a pension in 1934, and a year later, named the San Juan Municipal Theater in his honor. Paoli died childless, of cancer, on August 24th, 1946.
Opera Singer. He was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and was known as "the king of tenors" in his day and the first Puerto Rican to reach international fame in the arts. Paoli's sister Amalia helped arrange a scholarship from Spain's Queen María Cristina, for Paoli. In 1882, he started his studies under that scholarship, at the Real Monasterio del Escorial. He later studied at the Academia de Canto La Scala in Milan, Italy in 1897, and subsequently debuted in Rossini's opera "William Tell", in Paris, only two years later. Paoli's great talent brought him much recognition across Europe. Shortly after appearing at Covent Garden in London he returned to Puerto Rico. His repertoire included the operas "Lohengrin" by Wagner and Verdi's "Il Trovatore." He also appeared in opera houses in Egypt, Palestine, Hungary, Belgium, Cuba, Chile, Haiti, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Canada, and the United States. Paoli was the first opera artist in the world to record an entire opera: Leoncavallo's "I Pagliacci", in 1907. Only three years later, Paoli was appointed "first tenor" by La Scala, in Milan, Italy. Paoli never appeared at the most famous opera hall Carnegie Hall in New York City, and some attribute this to the fact that his artistic rival, Enrico Caruso, was a shareholder of this institution. After reaching financial ruin, Paoli, sadly, became a prize fighter. In 1922 he started teaching voice in his native Puerto Rico, establishing a school together with his sister Amalia. His lot improved and he even helped produce the "Othello" at the Municipal Theater in San Juan shortly thereafter. The government of Puerto Rico awarded him a pension in 1934, and a year later, named the San Juan Municipal Theater in his honor. Paoli died childless, of cancer, on August 24th, 1946.
Bio by: Jose Ruiz-Alvarez
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