Musical traditions in Prato are an ancient tradition. In the Middle-ages, and in the Grand Ducal period, instrumental music and singing was practised in the churches, in the academies, in the patrician places and in the public schools. During the Renaissance, Prato was the home to important musicians, composers and organ builders; during the Baroque, the music was probably the most cultivated art: in the houses of Salviati and the Earl dei Bardi, musicians like Galilei, Caccini, Peri (who were responsible for theorising and writing the first musical operas) would meet. The Pratese organist and composer Domenico Zipoli, brought Spainish-American influences into European music. During the 19th century many lyrical singers that made their debut at the Metastasio Theatre in Prato, became famous both in and outside of Italy. Tobia Bertini was born on the 26th of October 1856; he father was a craftsman and they lived in via del Carmine. He was the second son of six brothers. At the Orfanotrofio Magnolfi he was taught the art of carpentry. At the age of eighteen he had graduated with a degree in "sculpture in wood", and was employed in Carlo Ciucci's famous workshop. Even though he was advised against pursuing a singing career, he wanted to have singing lessons. His lessons commenced with Ettore Contrucci in Prato and later in Florence with Ciaffei and Cortese. He studied hard and began to sing in secondary roles at the Metastasio Theatre: we should mention the role of Manfretta, from the opera "Marinella" by the Pratese Attilio Ciardi, performed in September of 1877. On the 16th of October 1879 he made his debut at the "Matteini" Theatre in Pistoia, as Alfredo Germont in the "Traviata" by Verdi, and received an enthusiastic sucess of criticism from the audience and the public. The year after he sang in "Norma" and in 1880, (when he was twenty-four) he performed out of Italy: he sang in "Mefistofile" by Boito at the Imperial Theatre in Warsaw. After that he was called to America, where he sang "Colon" (in Buenos Aires). After 1880, he was know to be very talented singer and had become so famous that he was requested by theatres all over the world. When he sang in the "Aida", in 1886 in Rio de Janeiro, the conductor was the 19 years old Arturo Toscanini, performing his debut. In 1887, he sang in the Theatre "La Scala" in Milan. During his career, he proved to be a great tenor, a real artist endowed with a marvellous wide and strong voice. His lyrical and dramatic repertoires include an array of very different composers, like Verdi Bellini and Wagner. At the beginning of the 20th century, when he was still young, he ended his career as a singer; and worked for a few years as a theatre organiser. He died in Milan on the 28th of April 1936, and his body was brought back to Prato and buried in the graveyard of Chisanuova.