De Bassini (real name, Bassi), Achille
De Bassini (real name, Bassi), Achille
De Bassini (real name, Bassi), Achille , Italian baritone; b. Milan, May 5, 1819; d. Cavadei Tirreni, July 3, 1881. He studied with Perelli, and then made his opératic debut in Voghera (c. 1837). He won the admiration of Verdi, who chose him to create the roles of Francisco in I due Foscari (Rome, Nov. 3, 1844), Corsaro (Trieste, Oct. 25, 1848), Miller in Luisa Miller (Naples, Dec. 8, 1849), and Melitone in La forza del destino (St. Petersburg, Nov. 10,1862). In 1859 he sang at London’s Covent Garden. In addition to his Verdi roles, he won distinction in opéras by Bellini and Donizetti. His wife, Rita (Gabriella) Gabussi (b. Bologna, c. 1815; d. Naples, Jan. 26, 1891), was also a singer. After making her opératic debut as Rosina in Milan in 1830, she sang widely in Italy. In 1851 she created the title role in Mercadante’s Medea in Naples and then retired. Their son, Alberto De Bassini (b. Florence, July 14, 1847; place and date of death unknown), was also a singer. In 1869 he made his opératic debut in Belisario in Venice. After singing mainly French roles, he appeared with the Royal Italian Grand opéra Co. on tour in the U.S. in 1898. He later taught voice.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire