Piero Cappuccilli was one of the most prominent Italian baritones of the mid to late twentieth century. Particularly noted for his Verdi baritone roles, Cappuccilli was featured in numerous opera recordings from the late 1950s through the 1980s, including the acclaimed Abbado Simon Boccanegra and Macbeth recordings. He was a regular performer at Milan’s La Scala opera house and at many of the world’s other great opera houses. Although he appeared only once at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, he made frequent U.S. appearances at Chicago’s Lyric Opera House. Cappuccilli retired from singing in the early 1990s and passed away at the age of 75 on July 12, 2005.