Persiani, Fanny (EN)

Persiani Fanny, nee Tacchinardi, *4 October 1812 Rome, †3 May 1867 Neuilly-sur-Seine (near Paris), Italian singer (soprano). She took singing classes from her father, Niccola Tacchinardi (tenor, 1772–1859). In 1830, she married Giuseppe Persiani (1799–1869) and in 1832, she debuted under this surname at the opera stage in Livorno. Next she successfully performed in Venice (1832–33) and Milan (1833) in operas by G. Rossini (Tancredi, La gazza ladra), G. Dionizetti (The Elixire of Love), V. Bellini (Il pirata, La Sonnambula and Beatrice di Tenda, in the title role of which she sang in Milan just after the Venice premiere with G. Pasta). The successes achieved on these stages prompted Donizetti, an admirer of Persiani’s talent, to entrust her with the main parts in the premieres of his subsequent operas: Rosmonda d’Inghilterra (Florence 1834), Lucia di Lammermoor (Naples 1835), Pia de’Tolomei (Venice 1837) and Linda from Chamounix (Paris 1842), in which Persiani appeared shortly after the Vienna premiere, singing the cabaletta O luce di quest’anima composed by Donizetti only for this performance. Persiani also appeared in her husband’s operas, usually ensuring their success (including Ines de Castro, Bologna 1836). In 1837, she sang for the first time in Paris at the Théâtre-Italien (Bellini’s La Sonnambula, Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, D. Cimarosa’s Secret Marriage), remaining the prima donna of this group for the next 13 years; she performed, among others, in The Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni (Zerlina) by W.A. Mozart, The Barber of Seville by G. Rossini and Il fantasma by G. Persiani. In 1838-49, she sang many times on the stages of the King’s Theatre and Covent Garden (including with G.B. Rubini in Lucia di Lammermoor), she also performed in Vienna (1837, 1844), the Netherlands (1850) and St. Petersburg (1850–52). Persiani was one of the greatest Italian coloratura singers, nicknamed “la piccola Pasta”; she had a delicate voice, but with a beautiful timbre and a wide range (b-f3), as well as a perfect bel canto and excellent vocal technique.

Literature: P. Chaudesaigues Madame Persiani, Paris 1839; G. Tebaldini Giuseppe Persiani e Fanny Tacchinardi, memorie e appunti, “Rivista Musicale Italiana” XII, 1905; T. Kaufman Giuseppe and Fanny Persiani, “Donizetti Society Journal” VI, 1988.