A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Marchesi, Salvatore

MARCHESI, Salvatore, Cavaliere de Casteone, Marchese della Rajata, husband of the foregoing, a barytone singer and vocal teacher, born at Palermo, 1822. His family belonged to the nobility, and his father was four years Governor-General of Sicily. In 1838 he entered the Neapolitan Guard, but, for political reasons, resigned his commission in 1840. Whilst studying law and philosophy at Palermo, he took lessons in singing and composition from Raimondi; and he continued his musical studies at Milan, under Lamperti and Fontana. Having participated in the revolutionary movement of 1848, he was forced to seek shelter in America, where he made his début, as an operatic singer, in 'Ernani.' He returned to Europe to take instruction from Garcia, and settled in London, where, for several seasons, he was favourably known as a concert-singer. He married Mdlle. Graumann in 1852, and, with her, made numerous concert tours in England, Germany, and Belgium, appearing also in opera with success, both in England and on the continent. He has held posts as teacher of singing at the Conservatoires of Vienna and Cologne, and was appointed chamber singer to the court of Saxe Weimar, 1862. From the King of Italy he has received the orders of the Knights of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus. Signor Marchesi is known also as the composer of several German and Italian songs, and as the Italian translator of many French and German libretti—'Medea,' 'La Vestale,' 'Iphigenia,' 'Tannhauser,' 'Lohengrin,' etc. He has published various writings on music, and some books of vocal exercises.

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