Fernando Corena (1916-1984) was a Swiss bass, one of the most admired comic basses of the post-war operatic world. He built an international career at major houses including La Scala, Covent Garden and the Metropolitan Opera.

Corena was especially celebrated in Rossini, Donizetti, Mozart and Italian comic repertory, but also sang serious roles. In the Pristine catalogue he appears in Puccini’s Manon Lescaut with Renata Tebaldi and Mario del Monaco.

His singing combined firm bass tone with extraordinary verbal and theatrical timing. Comic opera needs weight as well as sparkle, and Corena supplied both.

He remains one of the great character basses on record. Corena could make a bass line wink without ever letting it wobble.