Ernesto Nicolini

Ernesto Nicolini (February 23, 1834 - January 19, 1898) was a French operatic tenor, particularly associated with the French and Italian repertories.

Born Ernest Nicolas in Saint Malo, France, he studied at the Paris Conservatory and made his debut in 1857, at the Opéra-Comique in Halevy's "Les mousquetaires de la reine". After further study in Italy, he made his debut at La Scala in Milan in 1859, under the name Ernesto Nicolini, as Alfredo in "La traviata", other roles there included Rodrigo in Rossini's "Otello", and Elvino in Bellini's "La sonnambula".

On his return to France he sang at the Théâtre-Italien from 1862 until 1869. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in London in 1866, as Edgardo in "Lucia di Lammermoor", without great success. In 1871 he returned to London to sing in "Faust" and "Robert le diable" at Drury Lane, and from 1872 appeared every season at the Royal Opera House until 1884; his roles there included Pery in "Il Guarany", Radames in "Aida", and the title role in "Lohengrin". He created the role of Celio at the premiere of Charles Lenepveu's "Velléda" in 1882.

During the season 1874-75, he appeared in St Petersburg and Moscow, opposite famous soprano Adelina Patti, whom he would partner in almost all her appearances thereafter, accompanying her on concert tours in Europe (Vienna, Milan, Venice, Brussels, Berlin, etc.), as well as in the United States and South America.

While in Paris in 1886, singing in "Faust" at the Grand Opéra, the two created something of a scandal by getting married; Patti had divorced her first husband, the Marquis de Caux, shortly before.

Nicolini appeared for the last time at Drury Lane in 1897, as Almaviva in "Il barbiere di Siviglia". He died the following year in Pau, France.

His voice had a wide vibrato that some contemporaries found distressing, but his fine stage presence and intense acting were much appreciated by the public.

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* "Grove Music Online", Elizabeth Forbes, July 2008.