Vitale was born in Naples, Italy, in 1872.[4] As a boy he went to Rome, and by the time he was 14 he was already directing some operettas at the Teatro Metastasio, garnering acclaim for his conducting.[4] He studied at the Conservatorio Santa Cecilia in Rome. Starting from 1893, he was a professor at the Santa Cecilia.
From 1908 to 1910 he was a substitute of Toscanini at La Scala. He was the first to direct Richard Strauss' Elektra in Italy, which he directed at La Scala in 1909.[2] He directed Cherubini's Médée in 1909, also at La Scala.[5]
He conducted mostly at the Teatro Costanzi.[2][6] He also conducted in foreign countries.
He was conductor of the orchestra of the lyrica company of Walter Moachi's company, which performed in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro in 1925.[7]
His son was Riccardo Vitale , who became Director of Rome Opera House from the 1940s to early 1970s.
