Ernesto Badini was an Italian opera singer that sang in the baritone range (born San Colombano al Lambro, 14 Sept 1876; died Milan, 6 July 1937). [1] He was trained at Milan Conservatory and made his debut as Figaro (in The Barber of Seville) in San Colombano al Lambro. Badini was a regular performer at Milan's La Scala and achieved his greatest success in the comic role of Puccini's Gianni Schicchi.
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In Il Signor Bruschino (Rossini), he was said with a generally "excellent cast" to have "co-operated with a will" [2]. At Covent Garden: he portrayed Marcello in Boheme (Puccini): "[not] particularly well-suited for [this part]" [3] He also worked in South America and Salzburg.
His voice was described as "serviceable rather than rich": [4] whilst his acting ability demonstrated "an assured style and economy of gesture" [4]
He participated in several first performances, as follows:
Puccini: Gianni Schicchi (premieres at Milan and Covent Garden). "... a delightful picture of Schicchi, entering fully into the spirit of the piece" [5]
Mascagni: Il piccolo Marat (world)
Giordano’s La cena delle beffe (world)
Wolf-Ferrari’s Sly (world).
Don Pasquale: Badini participated in the first complete recording. This performance showed him as "A one-time lyric baritone graduated into a superb buffo" [7]. "Badini speaks as much as he sings-- but what a difference when he does sing, and in the tonal solidity of the speaking too". ([8])
Several excerpts discs were also created on the following labels:
1925: excerpts: Gianni Schicchi, Magic Flute
Victor Talking Machine Company
cat 45035 Otello, Barbiere excerpts