ABSTRACT
Early Life Enrico Caruso (baptized Errico) was born in Naples, Italy, into a poor, working-class family. Many myths exist about his early life that have been perpetuated in numerous biographies; however, Enrico Caruso, Jr., published a large volume in 1990 from which much factual information about the family is available. His father, Marcellino, was a factory mechanic. Of seven children, only Errico (the third), along with his younger brother Giovanni and sister Assunta, lived to adulthood. His mother, Anna, weak from the previous births, kept Errico alive with the help of a wet nurse. Anna and Errico were mutually devoted to each other, and her daily devout prayers for him were often recalled by the tenor in later years. After she died, Errico was blessed with a stepmother who, although not particularly loving with his siblings, treated him as her own son. She recognized Caruso's musical talent and helped him seek every opportunity allowable on their limited budget.
