Mattia Battistini

Mattia Battistini ( born February 27, 1856 in Rome; † 7 November 1928 Colle Baccaro ) was an Italian opera and concert singer with the voice baritone.

Life

Mattia Battistini grew up in a middle-class family. His father was a professor of anatomy at a Roman university and wished that his son would also study medicine. Instead Battistini began vocal studies with Eugenio Terziani and Venceslao Persichini.

He died in 1928 of an asthma attack, a few weeks before his 50th stage anniversary.

Career

On 11 December 1878, the opera La Favorita by Gaetano Donizetti at the Teatro Argentino should be listed, but the dedicated singer was not available. So the 22- year-old student Mattia Battistini was hired, who had just completed an audition. The performance was a success.

Later, he sang at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, at the Teatro Pedro II in Rio de Janeiro, at the Teatro São José in São Paulo and at the Covent Garden Opera. Mainly he sang in Austria, Spain, Italy and Russia. There he was honored by the Tsar.

In 1892 he worked with I Rantzau by Pietro Mascagni at the premiere of the opera. Jules Massenet wrote the title role in his opera Werther for baritone for Battistini. Giuseppe Verdi also estimated the singer very much. However, it was a Mißstimmumg between the two artists, as Battistini refused the title role in Verdi's Falstaff. Richard Wagner explained Battistinis interpretation of the aria O Sweet Evening Star from Tannhäuser his favorite version.

Battistini is regarded as one of the outstanding singers of his time. Was praised especially his flawless vocal technique. Contemporaries referred to him as La gloria d' Italia or as Il Re dei baritoni.

Swell

• Kutsch / belt: Large Sängerlexikon ( Saur )
• Jürgen Kesting: The Great Singers ( Claasen Verlag)
• Jens Malte Fischer: Great Voices ( Suhrkamp Verlag)