Pacini, Andrea

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Pacini, Andrea

Pacini, Andrea, Italian castrato alto and composer; b. Lucca, c. 1690; d. there, March 1764. He made his debut in Albinoni’s Astarto in Venice in 1708, and returned to sing there (1714–16; 1726). He also appeared in Naples (1713–14; 1722–23), Turin (1719), and Genoa (1720). In 1721 he was elected to membership in the Accademia Filarmonica in Bologna, in which city he sang in 1722. From 1720 to 1730 he was virtuoso to Prince Antonio of Parma. On Oct. 31,1724, he made his London debut creating the title role in Handel’s Tamer-lano. Handel also wrote the role of Unulfo for him. Following appearances in Florence (1725–26; 1731–32) and Parma (1729), he was active as a priest.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire