He was born in San Mauro of Florence on 15/3/1915. First he studied Economics and then he studied voice with Giulia Tess and Giuseppe Armani in Milan. In 1946 he was awarded at the Modena international voice competition for young singers and, that same year, he performed at the Palazzetto dello Sport of Milan as Radamès (Aida) for the first time. He sang mostly in major Italian opera houses, such as La Scala in Milan (since 1948), in Rome, the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples and in Florence. In 1947 he appeared in Vienna as Don José (Carmen) and at the Cambridge Theater, London, in the operas Rigoletto (as Duke of Mantua), La Bohème (as Rodolfo) and Tosca (as Cavaradossi). He first appeared at the Royal Opera House of London in 1952, interpreting the role of Pollione (Norma) alongside Maria Callas. With her he also appeared in that same opera at the Ancient Theater of Epidavros (GNO, 1959-60) and as Jason in a revival of Cherubini's Medea [Medée] (Florence). He also performed in Monte Carlo, Lisbon, Rio de Janeiro, Chicago, and elsewhere. In addition to roles of the bel canto repertoire, he also interpreted roles from 20th century operas, such as: Stravinsky's Oedipus the King [Oedipus Rex], Berg's Wozzeck, Britten's Peter Grimes and Billy Budd, Pizzetti's Cagliostro and The Daughter of Jorio [La figlia di Jorio], Dallapiccola's The Prisoner [Il prigioniero], etc. He retired in 1974 and in 1978 he published his autobiography under the title "A Throne Near The Sun" (Un trono vicino al sol). Recordings of his are available under the labels Ricordi/EMI (Médée, with Maria Callas), Columbia, MRF, Cetra (Don Carlo), and OMY. He died in Florence on 25/9/1980.