Francesco Mottino
Encyclopedia
Francesco Mottino was an Italian opera
singer, voice teacher
, drama teacher, librettist, and writer. He had a prolific international opera career from the 1850s through the 1870s. After retiring from the stage, he worked actively as a writer and teacher in his native country.
As a child Mottino was a student of many languages and became a highly proficient writer and speaker in English and French at a young age. He began his career as writer for magazines and also performed on the Italian stage in plays by William Shakespeare
. He became interested in opera and entered the Milan Conservatory
in 1855.
Mottino began his opera career performing in smaller baritone
roles at various Italian theatres while still a pupil in Milan. During the 1860s, he performed in leading roles in operas in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Greece, Turkey and Egypt in addition to appearing at many of the principal Italian theatres. He was particularly known for his portrayal of the title role in Giuseppe Verdi
's I due Foscari
, a role he sang at many opera houses.
He reached the pinnacle of his stage career in England during the 1870s where he performed frequently at both the Royal Opera House
and at Her Majesty's Theatre
. He also often appeared in London concerts, including several performances with soprano Adelina Patti
at The Crystal Palace
. He was the leading baritone of the Carl Rosa Opera Company
from 1875–1879 and toured with that company to many British cities. Rosa had hired Mottino largely because of his mastery of the English language which enabled him to sing Italian operas in English with excellent pronunciation and diction. Among the roles for which he was praised by London audiences were the Count di Luna in Il trovatore
and the title role in Rossini's William Tell
. He also starred in the world premiere of Lauro Rossi
's Biron on 17 January 1877 at Her Majesty's Theatre.
Mottino retired from the stage in 1880, returning to Milan that year with his wife soprano Adele Cesarini with whom he had often performed. From 1880-1887 he ran the literary magazine L'Utopista, working as both the magazine's editor and a contributor of articles. He also wrote the librettos for Giovanni Consolini
's Il conte di Salto (1894) and Cesare Rossi
's I fuggitivi (1896). In addition, he taught singing and acting in Milan for several decades. Among his pupils were tenor Kirk Towns and soprano Enrica Clay Dillon
.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
singer, voice teacher
Voice teacher
A voice teacher or singing teacher is a musical instructor who trains adults and children in the art of singing. This generally involves training in breath control and support, proper tone production, pitch control and musical intonation, proper formation of vowels and consonants as well as...
, drama teacher, librettist, and writer. He had a prolific international opera career from the 1850s through the 1870s. After retiring from the stage, he worked actively as a writer and teacher in his native country.
As a child Mottino was a student of many languages and became a highly proficient writer and speaker in English and French at a young age. He began his career as writer for magazines and also performed on the Italian stage in plays by William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
. He became interested in opera and entered the Milan Conservatory
Milan Conservatory
The Milan Conservatory is a college of music which was established by a royal decree of 1807 in Milan, capital of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy. It opened the following year with premises in the cloisters of the Baroque church of Santa Maria della Passione. There were initially 18 boarders,...
in 1855.
Mottino began his opera career performing in smaller baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
roles at various Italian theatres while still a pupil in Milan. During the 1860s, he performed in leading roles in operas in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Greece, Turkey and Egypt in addition to appearing at many of the principal Italian theatres. He was particularly known for his portrayal of the title role in Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
's I due Foscari
I due Foscari
I due Foscari is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, based on a historical play, The Two Foscari by Lord Byron....
, a role he sang at many opera houses.
He reached the pinnacle of his stage career in England during the 1870s where he performed frequently at both the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
and at Her Majesty's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre, in Haymarket, City of Westminster, London. The present building was designed by Charles J. Phipps and was constructed in 1897 for actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who established the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art at the theatre...
. He also often appeared in London concerts, including several performances with soprano Adelina Patti
Adelina Patti
Adelina Patti was a highly acclaimed 19th-century opera singer, earning huge fees at the height of her career in the music capitals of Europe and America. She first sang in public as a child in 1851 and gave her last performance before an audience in 1914...
at The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace was a cast-iron and glass building originally erected in Hyde Park, London, England, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. More than 14,000 exhibitors from around the world gathered in the Palace's of exhibition space to display examples of the latest technology developed in...
. He was the leading baritone of the Carl Rosa Opera Company
Carl Rosa Opera Company
The Carl Rosa Opera Company was founded in 1873 by Carl August Nicholas Rosa, a German-born musical impresario, to present opera in English in London and the British provinces. The company survived Rosa's death in 1889, and continued to present opera in English on tour until 1960, when it was...
from 1875–1879 and toured with that company to many British cities. Rosa had hired Mottino largely because of his mastery of the English language which enabled him to sing Italian operas in English with excellent pronunciation and diction. Among the roles for which he was praised by London audiences were the Count di Luna in Il trovatore
Il trovatore
Il trovatore is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, based on the play El Trovador by Antonio García Gutiérrez. Cammarano died in mid-1852 before completing the libretto...
and the title role in Rossini's William Tell
William Tell (opera)
Guillaume Tell is an opera in four acts by Gioachino Rossini to a French libretto by Etienne de Jouy and Hippolyte Bis, based on Friedrich Schiller's play Wilhelm Tell. Based on the legend of William Tell, this opera was Rossini's last, even though the composer lived for nearly forty more years...
. He also starred in the world premiere of Lauro Rossi
Lauro Rossi
Lauro Rossi , was an Italian composer, particularly of operas. There is no known connection with Luigi Rossi .Rossi studied in Naples and produced his first opera there...
's Biron on 17 January 1877 at Her Majesty's Theatre.
Mottino retired from the stage in 1880, returning to Milan that year with his wife soprano Adele Cesarini with whom he had often performed. From 1880-1887 he ran the literary magazine L'Utopista, working as both the magazine's editor and a contributor of articles. He also wrote the librettos for Giovanni Consolini
Giovanni Consolini
Giovanni Consolini was an Italian composer. His opera Il conte di Salto successfully premiered at the Teatro Chiabrera in Savona on 21 January 1894. He was also known for his opera La finta pazza.-Sources:*University of Toronto Libraries,...
's Il conte di Salto (1894) and Cesare Rossi
Cesare Rossi
Cesare Rossi was an Italian rower who competed in the 1928 Summer Olympics.In 1928 he was part of the Italian boat, which won the bronze medal in the coxless fours event.-External links:*...
's I fuggitivi (1896). In addition, he taught singing and acting in Milan for several decades. Among his pupils were tenor Kirk Towns and soprano Enrica Clay Dillon
Enrica Clay Dillon
Enrica Clay Dillon was an American opera singer, opera director, and voice teacher.-Life and career:Born in Denver, Colorado, Dillon was the daughter of Judge Henry Clay Dillon and Florence H. Dillon...
.