Marchesi de Castrone, Salvatore (full name and title, Salvatore Marchesi, Cavaliere de Castrone, Marchese della Rajata)
Marchesi de Castrone, Salvatore (full name and title, Salvatore Marchesi, Cavaliere de Castrone, Marchese della Rajata)
Marchesi de Castrone, Salvatore (full name and title, Salvatore Marchesi, Cavaliere de Castrone, Marchese della Rajata), distinguished Italian baritone and teacher, father of Blanche Marchesi (de Castrone); b. Palermo, Jan. 15, 1822; d. Paris, Feb. 20, 1908. Of a noble family, he was destined for a government career and studied law in Palermo; however, he turned to music, and took lessons in singing and theory with Raimondi in Palermo, and with Lamperti in Milan. He was involved in the revolutionary events of 1848, and was compelled to leave Italy; went to N.Y., where he made his operatic debut as Carlos in Emani. He then studied with Garcia in London, where he made his first British appearance in 1850. In 1852 he married Mathilde Marchesi de Castrone (née Graumann). After singing at the Berlin Royal Opera (1852–53) and in Ferrara (1853), he taught at the Vienna Cons. (1854–61). In 1863–64 he returned to London to sing at Her Majesty’s Theatre. After teaching at the Cologne Cons. (1865–68) and again at the Vienna Cons. (1868–78), he settled in Paris in 1881. He wrote a book on singing as well as a number of songs.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire