A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Badiali, Cesare
BADIALI, Cesare, a very distinguished basso cantante; made his first appearance at Trieste, 1827. After achieving a brilliant success at every one of the chief theatres of Italy, and especially at Milan, where he sang in 1830, 1831, and 1832, he was engaged for the opera of Madrid, then at Lisbon, and did not return to Italy till 1838. On his reappearance at Milan, he was welcomed with enthusiasm; and continued to sing there, and at Vienna and Turin, until 1842, when he was appointed principal chambersinger to the Emperor. He sang afterwards at Rome, Venice, Trieste, Turin, and other towns of less importance. In 1845 he was at Leghorn. The Accademia di S. Cecilia of Rome received him as a member of its body. In 1859 he made his first appearance in London, when he made the quaint remark, 'What a pity I did not think of this city fifty years ago!' He retained at that time, and for some years longer, a voice of remarkable beauty, an excellent method, and great power of executing rapid passages. He was one of the few who have ever sung the music of Assur in Rossini's 'Semiramide' as it was written: in that part he was extremely good, and not less so in that of the Conte Robinson in the 'Matrimonio Segreto.' A singular feat is ascribed to him. It is said that, when supping with friends, he would drink a glass of claret, and, while in the act of swallowing it, sing a scale; and if the first time his execution was not quite perfect, he would repeat the performance with a full glass, a loud voice, and without missing a note or a drop.
He was a good musician, and left a few songs of his own composition. For the last ten years of his life he resided and sang in Paris. He died 17 Nov. 1865 at Imola, where he was born.