Aventino Calvetti

Bass

Tino grew up in the shadow of St. John Cantius on the Near West Side of Chicago. His earliest musical memories were of the Italian marching bands in the neighborhood playing selections from Aida and Carmen at the annual Feast of St. Rocco parade.

His teachers were Rudolf Fahsbender and Radivoj Lah of the Chicago Symphony. After attending Roosevelt University he joined the Kansas City Symphony for four years before returning home to join the Lyric Opera Orchestra. His opening night performance was Rossini’s Semiramide with Joan Sutherland and Marilyn Horne, conducted by Richard Bonynge. 

Tino retired in March, 2015, completing 44 seasons. His proudest memory was being invited to the stage with the entire orchestra for the ovation at the end of the final performance of Wagner’s Ring cycle conducted by Zubin Mehta in 1996.

The Orchestra congratulates Tino on his remarkable contributions to music and opera and wishes him buona fortuna!