Mengozzi, Bernardo

1758-1800

Italian tenor opera-singer and composer; born in Florence. Began his musical studies in his native city, and later went to Venice, where he studied under Pasquale Potenza, then cantor of St. Mark's. In 1785 he sang in oratorio at Naples with Sign9ra Benini, who later became his wife, and in 1786 they went to England. In 1787 he went \o Paris, where he sang before Marie Antoinette and became associated with Mandini and Viganoni of the Italian Opera Company of the Theatre de Monsieur. He stayed in Paris after the Revolution, and in 1795 became professor of singing in the Conservatory. He also wrote several operettas for the Feydeau and Montausier Theatres. He died in Paris before he finished his most important work, A Method of Singing for the Conservatory, which has been edited by Langle.