Nicola Monti
Encyclopedia
Nicola Monti is an Italian opera singer, one of the leading tenori di grazia
of the 1950s.
Born in Milan
, Italy
, Monti studied voice from an early age, and made his debut in concert in Florence in 1941, and that same year sang his first major role, the Duke of Mantua
, in Cagliari. His career was interrupted by the war, but he resumed his studies in 1950 by entering the "Scuola di Canta" of the Teatro alla Scala. In 1951, he made his official operatic debut at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples as Elvino in La sonnambula
, a role he will remain closely associated with throughout his career.
He sang widely in Italy, appearing in Le comte Ory
at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
in Florence in 1952. In 1954, he appeared in an Italian television production of Il barbiere di Siviglia, opposite Rolando Panerai
and Antonietta Pastori
.
His career quickly took an international turn. He appeared as Elvino at the Wexford Festival in 1952, returning the following year as Nemorino in L'elisir d'amore
. He also made guest appearances in Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, and made his debut as Elvino opposite Anna Moffo
at the San Francisco Opera
in 1960.
A stylish singer, Monti had a light and attractive voice, and can be heard on a number of recordings. He recorded both Paisiello's and Rossini's Barbiere di Siviglia, La cambiale di matrimonio
, Il re pastore
, but is probably best remembered for his two recordings of La sonnambula, opposite Maria Callas
in 1957 and Joan Sutherland
in 1962.
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
of the 1950s.
Born in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Monti studied voice from an early age, and made his debut in concert in Florence in 1941, and that same year sang his first major role, the Duke of Mantua
Rigoletto
Rigoletto is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The Italian libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on the play Le roi s'amuse by Victor Hugo. It was first performed at La Fenice in Venice on March 11, 1851...
, in Cagliari. His career was interrupted by the war, but he resumed his studies in 1950 by entering the "Scuola di Canta" of the Teatro alla Scala. In 1951, he made his official operatic debut at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples as Elvino in La sonnambula
La sonnambula
La sonnambula is an opera semiseria in two acts, with music in the bel canto tradition by Vincenzo Bellini to an Italian libretto by Felice Romani, based on a scenario for a ballet-pantomime by Eugène Scribe and Jean-Pierre Aumer called La somnambule, ou L'arrivée d'un nouveau seigneur.The first...
, a role he will remain closely associated with throughout his career.
He sang widely in Italy, appearing in Le comte Ory
Le comte Ory
Le comte Ory is an opéra written by Gioachino Rossini in 1828. Some of the music originates from his opera Il viaggio a Reims written three years earlier for the coronation of Charles X...
at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino is an annual opera festival which was founded in April 1933 by conductor Vittorio Gui with the aim of presenting contemporary and forgotten operas in visually dramatic productions. It was the first music festival in Italy. The first opera presented was Verdi's early...
in Florence in 1952. In 1954, he appeared in an Italian television production of Il barbiere di Siviglia, opposite Rolando Panerai
Rolando Panerai
Rolando Panerai Italian baritone, particularly associated with the Italian repertory, he enjoyed a long and distinguished career in both comic and dramatic roles.Rolando Panerai was born in Campi Bisenzio, near Florence, Italy....
and Antonietta Pastori
Antonietta Pastori
Antonietta Pastori is an Italian operatic soprano, particularly associated with lighter lyric and coloratura roles.Born in Milan, Pastori studied piano and singing at the Milan Conservatory. She made her debut at the Teatro Nuovo in 1951, as Gilda in Rigoletto, and at La Scala in 1956, in Niccolo...
.
His career quickly took an international turn. He appeared as Elvino at the Wexford Festival in 1952, returning the following year as Nemorino in L'elisir d'amore
L'elisir d'amore
L'elisir d'amore is an opera by the Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti. It is a melodramma giocoso in two acts...
. He also made guest appearances in Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, and made his debut as Elvino opposite Anna Moffo
Anna Moffo
Anna Moffo was an Italian-American opera singer and one of the leading lyric-coloratura sopranos of her generation...
at the San Francisco Opera
San Francisco Opera
San Francisco Opera is an American opera company, based in San Francisco, California.It was founded in 1923 by Gaetano Merola and is the second largest opera company in North America...
in 1960.
A stylish singer, Monti had a light and attractive voice, and can be heard on a number of recordings. He recorded both Paisiello's and Rossini's Barbiere di Siviglia, La cambiale di matrimonio
La cambiale di matrimonio
La cambiale di matrimonio is a one-act operatic farsa comica by Gioachino Rossini to a libretto by Gaetano Rossi. The libretto was based on the play by Camillo Federici and a previous libretto by Giuseppe Checcherini for Carlo Coccia's 1807 opera, Il matrimonio per lettera di cambio...
, Il re pastore
Il re pastore
Il re pastore is an opera, K. 208, written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Metastasio, edited by Gianbattista Varesco. It is an opera seria...
, but is probably best remembered for his two recordings of La sonnambula, opposite Maria Callas
Maria Callas
Maria Callas was an American-born Greek soprano and one of the most renowned opera singers of the 20th century. She combined an impressive bel canto technique, a wide-ranging voice and great dramatic gifts...
in 1957 and Joan Sutherland
Joan Sutherland
Dame Joan Alston Sutherland, OM, AC, DBE was an Australian dramatic coloratura soprano noted for her contribution to the renaissance of the bel canto repertoire from the late 1950s through to the 1980s....
in 1962.