Walter Donati

The singer was born in Potsdam and grew up in Italy. There he worked first as a designer but later his love for music led him to music studies at Civica Scuola di Musica in Milan. In 1983, his opera debut took place at Laboratorio Lirico, Alessandria, where he sang in Giovanna d’Arco by Verdi. Afterwards, Walter Donati guest sang at many opera houses throughout the world. He worked under the leadership of such conductors as Claudio Abbado, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Daniel Oren and Myung Whun Chung. In the course of his career, Walter Donati’s voice developed so that he decided to sing in the baritone pitch. A period of intense study followed. In 1993 Donati marked a sensational success with his splendid interpretation of Nabucco, his first baritone role during the new Opera House opening in Helsinki. Walter Donati sang the Nabucco part again in Giuseppe Raffa’s production in Brussels 1996. During his artistic journey with other Verdi roles he stopped e.g. in Rio de Janeiro and Teatro Verdi in Pisa with La traviata, at Cirque d’hiver in Paris with Falstaff and in Geneva, Zurich, Berlin and Hamburg with Rigoletto. In 1995 in Brussels Walter Donati sang Amonasro in Giuseppe Raffa’s production of Aida by Verdi. As Lord Ashton in Lucia di Lammermoor he succeeded in making a breakthrough in the USA. Walter Donati’s repertory also includes operas Andrea Chénier by Giordano and Carmina Burana by Orff. Walter Donati’s interpretation of Conte di Luna in Il trovatore resulted in a CD recording. Together with Katia Ricciarelli he recorded the world premiere of Amica by Mascagni.