Carlo Ciabrini

Ciabrini was born in Corsica. He studied voice with Umberto Valdarnini and Renée Doria; his technique was so secure that not even later lessons with Carlo Bergonzi could do it any harm. As far as style and command of the voice, he was an anachronistic figure in his time (he sang into the early 2000s), and I have really no idea why his career was as modest as it was; I suspect his voice may have been limited in size.

He sang in Paris (but not at the two large opera theaters), Marseille (where?), Bergamo, Bologna, Parma, Siena, a lot in Bucharest, and regularly at the tiny and utterly provincial, but very charming and interesting (lots of belcanto rarities!) festival in Zvolen (Slovakia).

Roles he sang included Duca, Alfredo, Edgardo, Cavaradossi, Pinkerton, Nadir, Gounod's Faust, Nadir, and he regularly performed Verdi's Requiem and Rossini's Stabat mater.

He must have been particularly close with Renée Doria: after the death of her husband, Guy Dumazert, Ciabrini took over the latter's business, very familiar to every serious vocal collector: Malibran Music.

Reference: Malibran CD liner notes

I wish to thank Carlo Ciabrini for the recordings.