Giacomo Rimini

His father, Riccardo Rimini, descended from Sephardic Jews long resident in Verona; his mother, Giulia Sottopera, was Catholic.

In 1915, Rimini was chosen by Arturo Toscanini to sing the title role in Verdi's Falstaff at the Teatro del Verme in Milan.

[3] Also in 1915, Rimini met in Bologna Polish Jewish opera singer Rosa Raisa and the two of them fell in love with each other.

In 1933 the Riminis appeared in a European tour with Teatro alla Scala's singers, which included a one-week series of performances at the Städtische Oper in Berlin, Germany.

[2] In the following years, while Raisa preferred to concentrate on her Chicago engagements, Rimini appeared frequently in Italy having the opportunity to sing with many of the Italian operatic luminaries of the time.

As a part of the school, students would travel to Italy with Rimini and his wife to study in Verona, often staying at their teacher's villa.