A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Tacchinardi, Niccolò
TACCHINARDI, Niccolò, a distinguished tenor singer, born at Florence in September 1776 [App. p.798 "Leghorn, Sept. 3, 1772"]. He was intended for an ecclesiastical career, but his artistic bias was so strong that he abandoned the study of literature for that of painting and modelling. From the age of eleven he also received instruction in vocal and instrumental music. When 17 he joined the orchestra at the Florence theatre as violin-player, but after five years of this work, his voice having meanwhile developed into a beautiful tenor, he began to sing in public. In 1804 he appeared on the operatic stages of Leghorn and Pisa; afterwards on those of Venice, Florence, and Milan, where he took a distinguished part in the gala performances at Napoleon's coronation as king of Italy.
At Rome, where his success was as permanent as it was brilliant, his old passion for sculpture was revived by the acquaintance which he made with Canova, in whose studio he worked for a time. Canova executed his bust in marble, thus paying homage to him in his worst aspect, for he was one of the ugliest of men, and almost a hunchback. When he appeared at Paris in 1811, his looks created a mingled sensation of horror and amusement; but such was the beauty of his voice and the consummate mastery of his style, that he had only to begin to sing for these personal drawbacks to be all forgotten. He is said to have taken Babini for his model, but it is doubtful if he had any rival in execution and artistic resource. The fact of so ugly a man sustaining the part (transposed for tenor) of Don Giovanni, with success, shows what a spell he could cast over his audience.
After three successful years in Paris, Tacchinardi returned in 1814 to Italy, where he was appointed chief singer to the Grand Duke of Tuscany, with liberty to travel. He accordingly sang at Vienna, and afterwards, in Spain, distinguishing himself especially at Barcelona, although then 50 years old. After 1831 he left the stage, and lived at his country house near Florence. He retained his appointment from the Grand Duke, but devoted himself chiefly to teaching, for which he became celebrated. He built a little private theatre in which to exercise his pupils, of whom the most notable were Mme. Frezzolini, and his daughter Fanny, Mme. Persiani, perhaps the most striking instance on record of what extreme training and hard work may effect, in the absence of any superlative natural gifts. His other daughter, Elisa, was an eminent pianiste. Tacchinardi was the author of a number of solfeggi and vocal exercises, and of a little work called 'Dell' opera in musica sul teatro italiano, e de' suoi difetti.' He died in 1860 [App. p.798 "at Florence, March 14, 1859"].