Mattia battistini biography channel
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The only criteria being it was their obligation to ensure the largest turnout possible.
Who would you choose? After completing his medical studies at the University of Rome, he devoted himself entirely to vocal art. - M.: Veche, 2003.
Born: 27 February 1856
Died:7 November 1928
Italian Baritone
We begin with a question.
Suppose you were asked to fill a football stadium or the Albert Hall, for a charity opera recital, and you could select any male performer you chose.
His large legacy of records are among the most important documents of that vanished style.
Titto Ruffo was the other Baritone, almost an exact opposite of Battistini, with a voice that is great contemporary Guiseppe De Luca describes him, simply as ‘a miracle’.
He was a foremast exponent of the new Verismo operas, a sort of baritone Caruso and the very appearance of his name on a cast list, guaranteed a sell-out.
The base Russian Feodor Chaliapin, a trailblazer, setting new standards in the art of the singer actor and bringing Russian opera out of the confinement of its native country and into the international repertoire.
Battistini was a leading master of bel canto.
I wonder if you were asked to pick a baritone or a base to fill your stadium today, if you could suggest the name of a suitable candidate.
Of course, these singers are interlopers into our present survey, but perhaps because of their unique position in popularity in their day, they might offer a special dispensation, just this once, and allow them one record each.
For Battisitini, I have chosen the 1921 version of Vien Leonora from La Favorita by Donizetti for two reasons, firstly it was in these belcanto roles that he was incomparable, and secondly because it tells us everything about his unique training and correct voice production, as believe it or not, he was 64 when this record was made.
Mattia Battistini
Mattia Battistini (27 February 1856 – 7 November 1928) was an Italian operatic baritone.
One had to be born with such emission of sound - such tone of voice and balance of sounding of the entire range cannot be achieved by training! The season 1882-1883 was triumphant for him in Spain (Madrid and Barcelona). After several years of serious vocal training with the best Italian teachers of that time, Battistini, first became the member-performer of the Royal Rome Academic Philharmonia.
Everybody gave him complimentary epithets, such as: "Maestro of all maestros of Italian bel canto", "Alive perfection", "Miracle of vocalism", "The King of baritones" and many other equally sonorous titles.
From 1892 he was touring in various Russian towns, where he was immediately recognized as absolute protagonist of the opera stage and where he spent 23 theatrical seasons (until 1916), becoming a favorite singer of the Russian Emperors and aristocracy.
For full argumentation please see page 7 of the definitive Battistini biography Mattia Battistini, King of Baritones and Baritone of Kings, 2009 (The Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Md, USA), translation by E. Thomas Glasow; also to be found on page 17 of the author's original French edition Battistini, le dernier divo, 1996 (Editions Romillat, Paris).
More Arias, Duets and Ensembles performed by Mattia Battistini
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In 1899, he sang the part of Eugene Onegin (in Italian) at the premiere in Warsaw. Since 1926, when he was seventy years old, he mainly performed in concerts. The singer even used to joke, "Russia has never been a cold country for me". The Polish singer Janina Wajda-Korolevich that sang with Battistini more than once, recalled, “He was really a great singer.
Very soon, he became famous as the best Italian baritone.The voice of Battistini was a singular one, one-of-a-kind - it was distinctive among baritones. He still had the same freshness of voice, the same confidence, tenderness and generous soul, as well as vividness and easiness. He was an Italian opera artist (baritone). Russia was one of the favorite countries for Battistini.
He was welcomed enthusiastically. Then Vienna, Paris and Budapest... - SPb., 1890-1907.
Mattia Battistini on belcanto.com
D.K.