Giovanni Zucchini by Bergamasco

Giovanni Zucchini (1812-1891); Italian bass-baritone.
In his hometown Bologna he studied singing with Britti and in 1832 he made his debut in Modena. In 1838 he sang successfully in Venice and then in Bologna and in Genua. In 1848 he made guest appearances at the Teatro San Carlos at Lisbon. From 1855 until 1865 he was the "first buffo-singer" at the Théâtre-Italien in Paris. In 1863 at the Teatro Municipale Piacenza he sang at the première of Ponchielli's opera "Roderico Re dei Goti". From 1868/71 he made guest appearances at St.Petersburg and Warsaw and during the season 1875/76 at the Wiener Hofoper. In 1877 at La Scala Milan he performed the role of Bartolo in a legendary performance of Rossini 's "Il Barbiere di Siviglia", in which Giovanni Zucchini, Adelina Patti, Ernesto Nicolini and Leone Giraldoni enthralled the Scala audience. After he retired from the stage he worked as a vocal teacher in Bologna.