Badini, Ernesto

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Badini, Ernesto

Badini, Ernesto, Italian baritone; b. San Colombano al Lambro, Sept. 14, 1876; d. Milan, July 6, 1937. He studied at the Milan Cons. and with Cesari. In 1895 he made his operatic debut as Rossini’s Figaro in San Colombano al Lambro; sang in many regional opera houses of Italy. In 1913 Toscanini chose him for the Verdi centennial celebrations in Parma, then invited him to Milan’s La Scala, where he created Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi (1922); remained on its roster until 1931. He also appeared at Rome’s Teatro Costanzi (1921) and London’s Covent Garden (debut as Gianni Schicchi, 1924). In addition to buffo roles, Badini also sang a number of contemporary roles.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire