She was Italy's great rival to that other 50s/60s diva, Maria Callas - opera lovers (especially the stage door johnnies and anoraks among them)lined up to cheer on the one rather than the other.
While la Callas had an enormous personality (especially on stage), a huge, and instantly recognizable voice, who broke all (or most of) the rules of interpretation, la Tebaldi had a more obviously perfect voice and singing technique - sublime, even - with a demure, somewhat conventional personality on and off the stage.


Read more about Renata Tebaldi on Last.fm.