Following his formal education in Ragusa, Pattiera studied first medicine and then law at Zagreb University during 1911 and 1912. Between 1912 and 1914 however he attended the Vienna Academy of Music, where he was a pupil of de Ranieri; and enjoyed his first success as a member of an operetta company.

Some sources suggest that the agent William Frankfurter secured an engagement for Pattiera at the Dresden Opera as one of the Armed Men / Die Zauberflöte in 1915; but the following year he made his effective debut at Dresden as Manrico / Il trovatore, after which he established himself as one of the leading tenors of the Dresden Opera, which became the principal centre for his work. He sang the title role in Giordano’s Andrea Chénier when it was first performed in Germany at Dresden in January 1925, winning the praise of the composer who was present. Singing Maddalena opposite him was the soprano Meta Seinemeyer, with whom Pattiera performed and recorded frequently.

A leading figure in the Verdi renaissance that took place in Germany during the 1920s, led by Fritz Busch in Dresden, Pattiera sang Alvaro / La forza del destino there in 1927. Among his other major roles at Dresden were Hermann / The Queen of Spades, Bacchus / Ariadne auf Naxos, Erik / Der fliegende Holländer and Dimitri / Boris Godunov, which he sang in the German premiere of 1923. His only Wagner role at Dresden was the title part in Tannhäuser in 1924.

Pattiera had sung frequently with the Vienna State Opera from 1919 and appeared with the Chicago Opera during the 1921–1922 season; he did not however return to America, nor did he sing in Italy at all. From 1924 to 1929 he was a member of the Berlin State Opera, where his roles included the Duke / Rigoletto, Radamès / Aida, Rodolfo / La Bohème, Don José / Carmen, Riccardo / Un ballo in maschera and the title role in Otello. In addition he appeared as a guest in Brussels, Budapest and Paris.

In 1941 Pattiera moved from Dresden to the German Theatre in Prague, after which he taught at the Music Academy in Vienna from 1950 to 1952. Thereafter, although remaining in Vienna, he taught only private pupils. He returned to Dresden to give several successful concerts in 1951 and 1953, the latter being his farewell appearance in this city.

Pattiera’s rich, vibrant voice, complemented by his handsome appearance, made him an ideal exponent of the Italian repertoire which he sang with great brilliance, intensity and fervour. He recorded for several different labels between 1922 and 1935, using both the acoustic and electrical recording systems.

© Naxos Rights International Ltd. — David Patmore (A–Z of Singers, Naxos 8.558097-100).