Gino Quilico

Quilico, Gino

 Gino Quilico, baritone (b at Flushing, NY 29 Apr 1955). The son of baritone Louis QUILICO (1925-2000) and pianist Lina Pizzolongo (1925-1991), Quilico attended the University of Toronto Opera School (1976-78). He made his operatic debut on 8 Jun 1977 as Mr. Gobineau in Menotti's The Medium, and made his CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY debut in October 1977 as the Corporal in La fille du Regiment. He returned to the COC in 1979 as Escamillo in Carmen and Paolo in Simon Boccanegra, opposite his father who sang the title role. Quilico continued his training at the Ecole d'art lyrique of the Paris Opera (1979-80), where he made his debut in Jean-Michel Damase's L'Heritiere. He rose to international prominence shortly after, making his debut in Covent Garden, La Scala, Munich, and Teatro Colon. In 1987 Quilico made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Lescaut in Manon, and, the following year he returned to the COC to sing the title role in Don Giovanni, opposite his father's Leporello.

Possessing a pleasing lyric baritone and handsome stage presence, Quilico is particularly successful as the swaggering Escamillo in Carmen, his signature role. His videography includes Orfeo (1985), Barber of Seville (1988), La Boheme (1987 and 1988), La Cenerentola (1988) and The Ghosts of Versailles (1991).

Named Artist of the Year in 1988 by the CANADIAN MUSIC COUNCIL, Quilico was Canada's Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in 1992 and was appointed an Officer of the ORDER OF CANADA in 1993. In recent years he has moved to heavier repertoire, such as Iago in Otello, while continuing to sing lyric roles such as Chorebe in Les Troyens, Dandini in Cenerentola and Zurga in The Pearl Fishers. He also maintains a busy recital schedule.