A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Naldi, Giuseppe

1742383A Dictionary of Music and Musicians — Naldi, Giuseppe


NALDI, Giuseppe, born at Bologna, Feb. 2, 1770, was the only son of Giuseppe Naldi, of the same city, who held a government appointment of high trust. The son was educated in the universities of Bologna and Pavia, where he made very rapid progress in his studies for the law, the profession of his choice. Finding this, however, uncongenial after a short time, he obtained, at the personal request of the Marchese Litta, a secretary's place in a government department, where he gave promise of ability and distinction; but the Italian Revolution put an end to his career in this direction, and he left the country.

He next appeared at Milan, where he was persuaded to give way to his natural genius for music, and where he achieved his first success, upon the stage. According to Fétis (who, however, is incorrect in some details of his biography), Naldi appeared at Rome in 1789, then at Naples, and next at Venice and Turin. In 1796 and 7 he reappeared at Milan. In London he made his début April 15, 1806, and he continued to sing here every subsequent season up to 1819 (inclusive). His principal characters were in 'Le Cantatrici Villane,' 'Così fan tutte' and 'Il Fanatico per la musica.' In the latter, he showed his skill in playing the violoncello, on which he was no mean performer. Lord MountEdgcumbe describes his voice as 'weak and uncertain'; while another critic calls it 'sonorous and powerful,' but excepts from his successful rôles that of Sancho in the 'Villeggiatori bizarri,' which he rather foolishly excuses on the plea that he was 'too much the gentleman to play the clown' (Monthly Mirror). All agree, however, that Naldi was extremely clever, could write very fair verses and compose very tolerable music; had an accurate ear; could play the piano and cello very well; and read at sight with perfect ease and intonation. As an actor, he was excellent, and played with 'irresistible humour, effect, judgment, and truth.' A good portrait-sketch of him, as Figaro in 'Le Nozze,' 'Drawn and Etched expressly for the British Stage,' appeared in Feb. 1818. In the next year, he was engaged at Paris, where he made his début in 'Così fan tutte'; but his powers were much faded. He returned once more to London in that, his last, season: and in the following year, at Paris, met an untimely death, in the apartments of his friend Garcia, by the bursting of a newly-invented cooking-kettle, a trial of which he had been invited to witness. His daughter, Mlle. Naldi, made her début in 1819. She sang at Paris in 1822–3, and is said (by Fétis) to have 'shared the public applause with Pasta for some years, particularly in Tancredi and Romeo e Giulietta.' Without attaching implicit credit to this statement, we may believe that she was an excellent singer, and that she was a loss to the stage when she retired (1824), having married the Conte di Sparre, after which she was no more heard, except in her own salon, or those of her friends.
[ J. M. ]