Rossi-Lemeni, Nicola

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Rossi-Lemeni, Nicola (b Istanbul, 1920; d Bloomington, Ind., 1991). It. bass of mixed It. and Russ. parentage. Opera début Venice (La Fenice) 1946 (Varlaam in Boris Godunov). Regular appearances at La Scala 1947–60. Débuts: CG 1952; S. Francisco 1951; NY Met 1953. Sang Claggart in f. It. p. of Billy Budd (Florence 1965) and created Tommaso in L'Assassinio nella cattedrale (La Scala 1958). Joined faculty of Indiana Univ. in Bloomington, 1980.