Mongini, Pietro

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Mongini, Pietro

Mongini, Pietro, admired Italian tenor; b. Rome, Oct. 29, 1828; d. Milan, April 27, 1874. He commenced his career as a bass, and then appeared as a tenor in Genoa by 1853. In 1855 he made his debut in Paris at the Théâtre-Italien as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor. On March 11, 1858, he made his first appearance at Milan’s La Scala as Arnold in Giullaume Tell. His London debut followed on April 25, 1859, at Drury Lane as Elvino in La Sonnambula. He subsequently appeared at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London. On Oct. 24, 1868, he made his debut at London’s Covent Garden as Gennaro in Lucrezia Borgia. On Dec. 24, 1871, he created the role of Radamès in Aida in Cairo. Among his other notable roles were Álvaro, John of Leyden, and Manrico.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire