The Russian years Mattia Battistini

battistini contemplates yorick s skull ambroise thomas s hamlet. photographed in 1911.

from 1892 onwards, battistini established himself immense favourite audiences @ russia s 2 imperial theatres in saint petersburg , moscow: mariinsky , bolshoi respectively. returned russia regularly, appearing there 23 seasons in total, , touring extensively elsewhere in eastern europe, using warsaw stepping-stone. journey warsaw, saint petersburg, moscow , odessa prince, travelling in own private rail coach retinue of servants , innumerable trunks containing vast stage wardrobe renowned elegance , lavishness. indeed, composer jules massenet prepared adjust rôle of werther baritone range, when battistini elected sing in saint petersburg in 1902, such singer s prestige.

the industrious battistini appeared regularity in milan, lisbon, barcelona, madrid, berlin, vienna, prague, budapest , paris (where sang first time in 1907). many social connections in russia, , favour enjoyed imperial family , nobility, ensured russia—more perhaps italy—became artistic home prior outbreak of first world war, in 1914. war led destruction, bolsheviks in 1917, of tsarist regime , aristocratic society had enriched touring italian opera stars battistini , tenor compatriots francesco tamagno, francesco marconi , angelo masini. history-shaping political development, coupled battistini s refusal sing in americas, meant career after war s conclusion in 1918 confined western europe.

incidentally, battistini s choice of bride had befitted esteemed social status in tsarist russia , west: married spanish noblewoman, doña dolores de figueroa y solís, offspring of marquis , cousin of cardinal rafael merry del val.