Enrico Nani

An Italian baritone, strongest in Verdi, whose career ran from Italy to St Petersburg and South America. Born in Parma and raised in Rome, he gave up the study of literature to train with Antonio Cotogni, and made his name at Bologna in November 1901, stepping in as Rigoletto opposite Caruso. Toscanini engaged him for La Scala. He toured South America repeatedly, creating Frank in the revised Edgar at Buenos Aires in 1905, and sang at the imperial opera in St Petersburg in 1909 and 1910. He retired in 1924 and taught singing in Rome.