Ancor oggi, a circa un secolo dalla morte, la figura di Battistini è avvolta da unâaura del tutto speciale per il sommarsi di vari aspetti. Nonostante la lunghissima carriera, infatti, egli seppe conservare nella sua voce purezza di timbro, notevole sonoritĂ , ampia estensione, fiati lunghissimi e facilitĂ nelle âmezze vociâ. Unanimi, inoltre, furono le lodi alla nobiltĂ del suo fraseggio, alla cura dei minimi dettagli interpretativi sia sul piano vocale sia su quello scenico, anche grazie alla particolare ricchezza e fedeltĂ storica dei costumi, cui i divi canori erano soliti provvedere autonomamente. Per quanto fosse riconosciuto come lâultimo esponente della scuola belcantistica del primo Ottocento, in aperta controtendenza rispetto allâimperante Verismo dellâepoca in cui visse, ricevette la stima incondizionata di grandi compositori a lui contemporanei come Verdi, Puccini, Mascagni, Rubinstein, Saint-SaĂŤns; Massenet, addirittura, modificò le parti vocali dei protagonisti maschili di ThaĂŻs e di Werther perchĂŠ egli potesse agevolmente interpretarle. Non stupisce, insomma, che Mattia Battistini fu artista prediletto dal pubblico piĂš esigente e raffinato, tanto da essere definito âIl baritono dei Re, il Re dei baritoniâ.
Mattia Battistini: the baritone of Kings and the King of baritones
Mattia Battistini, baritone, was one of the greatest exponents of the art of singing of all ages. Born in Rome on February 27th, 1856, at the age of 21, in 1877, he made his debut at the Teatro Argentina in Rome in “La Favorita” by G. Donizetti and enjoyed immediate success. He continued his artistic career, always received with the greatest favour of the public, in the main theatres of Italy and abroad (Buenos Aires, Madrid, London, Paris, Vienna). A particularly warm welcome was given to him in Russia, where he returned uninterruptedly from 1888 to 1914. Battistini had in his repertoire more than one hundred operas and a large number of chamber pieces, as evidenced by the conspicuous list of his recordings. He sang until the year before his death, on 7th November 1928. Even today, about a century after his death, the figure of Battistini is surrounded by a very special aura for a series of reasons. Despite his long career, in fact, he was able to preserve in his voice purity of timbre, remarkable sonority, extended vocal range, very long tones and ease in the “half voices”. Unanimously, moreover, were the praises to the nobility of his phrasing, to the care of the smallest details on vocal, stylistic as well as interpretative aspects, also thanks to the richness and historical accuracy of his costumes, that the singing stars of those times used to provide for themselves. Although he was recognized as the last exponent of the bel canto school of the early 19th century, in open contrast to the prevailing Verismo of the time he lived in, he received the unconditional esteem of great contemporary composers such as Verdi, Puccini, Mascagni, Rubinstein, Saint-SaĂŤns; Massenet; he even modified the vocal parts of the male protagonists of ThaĂŻs and Werther so that he could easily interpret them. It is not surprising, in short, that Mattia Battistini was the favourite artist of the most demanding and refined public, so much to be called “The baritone of the kings, the king of baritones”.