Tito Capobianco (28 August 1931 – 8 September 2018) was an Argentine American stage director and general manager of several opera companies. Early life Capobianco was born in La Plata, Argentina. His parents had fled from Fascist Italy in 1928 and settled in La Plata, near Buenos Aires. His parents were both musical; his father played trumpet in the local symphonic band. He grew up speaking Italian (a later advantage in the opera world) and attended a bilingual Spanish-Italian school until 4th grade. He continued his musical education at Hermanos Maristas de la Enseñanza and St. Joseph's College. He then qualified for the chorus and opera school of the Teatro Argentino de La Plata, where he graduated from being a super to singing baritone roles; he also learned stage managing. Career He made his official debut with Aida at the Teatro Argentino de La Plata in 1953, then worked at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. His American debut came in 1962 with a production of Tosca at the Philadelphia Grand Opera Company with Birgit Nilsson in the title role. Capobianco was artistic director of the Cincinnati Opera Festival (1961 to 1965) and the Cincinnati Opera (1962 to 1965) before moving to the New York City Opera in 1965 with Les contes d'Hoffmann which included Beverly Sills and Norman Treigle in the cast. He later held posts at the San Diego Opera and the Pittsburgh Opera. He has been described as difficult to work with and who "admits his intense management and directing style was at times hard on his singers and staff: 'I am obsessed with something that does not exist: perfection.'" Capobianco seemed to relish the control which the post of general director gave to him: "The impetus of general director was the assurance to me that I could do whatever I wanted. There will be nobody except the board to stop me. I don't believe in democracy in the arts. You don't use four persons to do the same painting." In 2017, his autobiography Tito's Way: The Art of Producing Opera was published. New York City Opera, 1966 to 1976 Capobianco became one of the City Opera's important directors, mounting ground-breaking productions including Alberto Ginastera's Don Rodrigo (with Plácido Domingo); Giulio Cesare (which brought Sills to preëminence in 1966); Le Coq d'Or; Manon; Mefistofele (with Treigle in his greatest role); Lucia di Lammermoor; Les contes d'Hoffmann; I