Tacchinardi, Nicola

Tacchinardi, Nicola, famous Italian tenor and singing teacher; b. Livorno, Sept. 3, 1772; d. Florence, March 14, 1859. He played cello in the orch. of Florence’s Teatro della Pergola (1789-97). After vocal studies, he began his operatic career with appearances in Livorno, Pisa, Florence, and Venice in 1804. In 1805 he sang at Milan’s La Scala, where he participated in the coronation performances for Napoleon as King of Italy. He scored a triumph in Zingarelli’s La distruzione di Gerusalemme at the Paris Odéon on May 4, 1811; until 1814 he sang at the Théâtre-Italien, where his performances in Paisiello’s La bella molinara were particularly acclaimed. After appearances in Spain (1815-17) and Vienna (1816), he returned to Italy; was made primo cantante of the Florence Grand Ducal Chapel in 1822, while continuing his appearances in Italian opera houses; he also revisited Vienna in 1823. He retired in 1831 and devoted himself to teaching; one of his students was his daughter, Fanny Persiani (née Tacchi-nardi). His most celebrated role was that of Othello in Rossini’s Otello. He composed vocal exercises and publ. Dell’opera in musica sul teatro italiano e de’ suoi difetti (Florence, 2^nd ed., 1833). His son, Guido Tacchinardi (b. Florence, March 10, 1840; d. there, Dec. 6, 1917), was a conductor, music critic, and composer; was director of the Florence Istituto Musicale (1891-1917).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire