Ronconi

Ronconi , family of Italian musicians:

(1) Domenico Ronconi, tenor and singing teacher; b. Lendinara, near Rovigo, July 11, 1772; d. Milan, April 13, 1839. He made his debut in Venice (1797). After singing in St. Petersburg (1801–5), he returned to Italy and appeared at Milan’s La Scala (1808), where he was chosen to create roles in operas by Mosca, Orlandi, and Lamberti; then sang at the Italian Opera in Vienna (1809) and in Paris (1810). After further appearances in Italy, he was a member of the Munich Hof- und Nationaltheater (1819–29). He then returned to his homeland and opened his own singing school in Milan. He had 3 sons who became musicians:

(2) Giorgio Ronconi , baritone; b. Milan, Aug. 6, 1810; d. Madrid, Jan. 8, 1890. He studied with his father, and made his debut as Valdeburgo in La Straniera in Patria (1831). He then went to Rome, where he sang in the premieres of Donizetti’s Il Furioso all’isola di San Domingo and Torquato Tasso in 1833; subsequently sang in the premieres of that composer’s II campanello in Naples (1836), Pia de’ Tolomei in Venice (1837), Maria di Rudez in Venice (1838), Maria Padilla in Milan (1841), and Maria di Rohan in Vienna (1843). From 1839 he sang at Milan’s La Scala, where he was chosen by Verdi to create the title role in his Nabucco (1842). In 1842 he made his London debut at Her Majesty’s Theatre, and later made frequent appearances at Covent Garden (1847–66); also sang in St. Petersburg (1850–60). After a sojourn in N.Y. (1866–72), he went to Granada and founded his own singing school; then was prof. of singing at the Madrid Cons. (from 1874). Although his voice was mediocre, he won distinction for his dramatic abilities.

(3) Felice Ronconi singing teacher; b. Venice, 1811; d. St. Petersburg, Sept. 10, 1875. He received music training from his father, and then was active as a singing teacher in Würzburg, Frankfurt am Main, Milan, and St. Petersburg. He wrote a method on the teaching of singing, and also composed some songs.

(4) Sebastiano Ronconi , baritone; b. Venice, May 1814; d. Milan, Feb. 6, 1900. He studied with his father. He made his debut as Torquato Tasso in Lucca (1836), and later sang throughout Europe and the U.S. He spent his last years teaching voice in Milan.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire