Antonio Bernacchi

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Antonio Maria Bernacchi
Antonio Maria Bernacchi

Antonio Bernacchi (b Bologna, 23 June 1685; d Bologna, 1 March 1756) was an Italian alto castrato, composer, and teacher of music. His pupils included Farinelli, for a brief period during 1727. He is best remembered for his association with the composer George Frideric Handel, whose operas Bernacchi sang in.

Bernacchi began his operatic career in Genoa in 1703: he later sang in over 22 operas at Venice, and in 1721 he sang at Rome for Alessandro Scarlatti; earlier, in 1714, he had been appointed virtuoso to Prince Antonio Farnese. This appointment lead to widespread recognition across Europe, and he sang in operas by Johann Adolph Hasse, Leonardo Vinci, and Scarlatti. In 1720 he was engaged to sing at Munich by the Elector of Bavaria, where he frequently sang until 1727.

In 1729 Handel engaged Bernacchi as primo uomo for the second Royal Academy, as replacement for the departed Senesino. Bernacchi created roles in both Lotario and Partenope. He also sang in revivals of Giulio Cesare and Tolomeo, and in pasticcios. Despite his strong European reputation, Bernacchi's success in England was mixed, as English audiences preferred Senesino, though Charles Burney praised his intelligence as a singer. In 1738 Bernacchi retired from the stage. He continued to give private concerts and to sing at ecclesiastical events. Of his compositions, some church music survives, as do various concert arias and duets. In his retirement, he founded a singing school at Bologna.

Mary Granville, at the time known as Mrs Pendarves, left this description of Bernacchi, which dates to 1729:

“ Bernacchi has a vast compass, his voice mellow and clear, but not so sweet as Senesino, his manner better; his person not so good, for he is as big as a Spanish friar. ”

In this same year Owen Swiney, who had earlier recruited Nicolini for London, described Bernacchi as "the very best singer in the world". However, others accused him of sacrificing expression to virtuosity by adopting an excessively instrumental style; in exasperation, his former teacher Pistocchi lamented that "I taught you to sing, and you want to play".

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