Elio Battaglia
Encyclopedia
Elio Battaglia, is an Italian baritone
, singing teacher, and author and lecturer in music
. He was the founder and director of the course entitled, Il Lied Tedesco ("German Song"), which ran in Acquasparta
, Italy, from 1973 to 2005, and then in Turin
from 2007 to 2008.
, Italy, Battaglia was educated at the schools of Adami Corradetti and Erik Werba, before earning a diploma in singing from the Benedetto Marcello conservatoire
in Venice. He then went on to study for a Doctorate
in Lieder and Oratorio
from University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna.
, oratorio and art song
, and was the first Italian teacher to specialise in German Lieder. In 2004 he gave master class
es at the Music Academy of the West
in Santa Barbara, California, hosted by Marilyn Horne
. Across Europe, his master classes have been hosted by institutions including theAccademia Musicale Pescarese since 1984 and the Mozarteum since 1993. Between 1967 and '97, he taught singing at the Conservatorio Statale di Musica Giuseppe Verdi in Turin.
He has given advanced master classes and courses in universities and conservatoires
internationally, including in the United States, the former USSR, China, Japan, Korea and Europe. In Italy he has organised and held advanced vocal courses and seminars in Turin, (Teatro Regio, Conservatorio G.Verdi), Sienna (Accademia Chigiana), Parma (Festival Verdi), Rome (Università La Sapienza), Tolentino (Teatro Vaccaj), Napoli (Conservatorio S.Pietro a Majella), Catania (Istituto Bellini), and Milan (Conservatorio G.Verdi). He is often requested to be a member of the judging panel in international competitions such as the Hugo Wolf International Lied Competition in Vienna, Austria and Stuttgart, Germany, and was, in 2005, the jury chairman for the 2005 Renata Tebaldi Competition in San Marino.
As an author, he has written many essays and articles regarding vocal art and has edited the new teachers' edition of The Practical Method of Italian Singing by Nicola Vaccai
. He also edited an Anthology of the German Lieder.
Battaglia is often considered to be a world leader in singing teaching and an expert regarding the works of Hugo Wolf
. Italian music critic
and author Massimo Mila (who writes for La Stampa
and l'Unità
) wrote of Maestro Battaglia: "...thanks to his passionate teaching style and large numbers of resident students, he has almost turned the Turin Conservatory into a branch office of the Vienna University of Music and Dramatic Art."
Battaglia’s teaching was so influential that for the 1991-1992 opera season’s opening night at Teatro Regio in Torino, Conductor Maurizio Benini cast Humperdinck’s “Hansel und Gretel” entirely from Battaglia’s studio of singers.. No event like this had ever happened before in Italy.
In 1987 he was awarded the Hugo Wolf Medal from the International Hugo Wolf Society of Vienna for his artistic achievements.
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
, singing teacher, and author and lecturer in music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
. He was the founder and director of the course entitled, Il Lied Tedesco ("German Song"), which ran in Acquasparta
Acquasparta
Acquasparta is a town and comune in the province of Terni . It is located on a hill above the Naia Valley and the river of the same name, facing the Monti Martani mountain range....
, Italy, from 1973 to 2005, and then in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
from 2007 to 2008.
Early Life and Education
Born in PalermoPalermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
, Italy, Battaglia was educated at the schools of Adami Corradetti and Erik Werba, before earning a diploma in singing from the Benedetto Marcello conservatoire
Conservatorio di Musica Benedetto Marcello di Venezia
The Conservatorio di Musica Benedetto Marcello di Venezia is a conservatory in Venice, Italy named after composer Benedetto Marcello and established in 1876.-History:...
in Venice. He then went on to study for a Doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in Lieder and Oratorio
Oratorio
An oratorio is a large musical composition including an orchestra, a choir, and soloists. Like an opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias...
from University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna.
Career
Battaglia is best renowned as a singing teacher, of operaOpera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
, oratorio and art song
Art song
An art song is a vocal music composition, usually written for one voice with piano or orchestral accompaniment. By extension, the term "art song" is used to refer to the genre of such songs....
, and was the first Italian teacher to specialise in German Lieder. In 2004 he gave master class
Master class
A master class is a class given to students of a particular discipline by an expert of that discipline—usually music, but also painting, drama, or any of the arts....
es at the Music Academy of the West
Music Academy of the West
The Music Academy of the West is a music conservatory located in Montecito, California near Santa Barbara, California. Every year, it hosts a summer music festival for the community highlighted by concerts and workshops directed by famous composers, conductors, and artists.A yearly maximum of 135...
in Santa Barbara, California, hosted by Marilyn Horne
Marilyn Horne
Marilyn Horne is an American mezzo-soprano opera singer. She specialized in roles requiring a large sound, beauty of tone, excellent breath support, and the ability to execute difficult coloratura passages....
. Across Europe, his master classes have been hosted by institutions including theAccademia Musicale Pescarese since 1984 and the Mozarteum since 1993. Between 1967 and '97, he taught singing at the Conservatorio Statale di Musica Giuseppe Verdi in Turin.
He has given advanced master classes and courses in universities and conservatoires
Music school
The term music school refers to an educational institution specialized in the study, training and research of music.Different terms refer to this concept such as school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department or conservatory.Music instruction can be provided...
internationally, including in the United States, the former USSR, China, Japan, Korea and Europe. In Italy he has organised and held advanced vocal courses and seminars in Turin, (Teatro Regio, Conservatorio G.Verdi), Sienna (Accademia Chigiana), Parma (Festival Verdi), Rome (Università La Sapienza), Tolentino (Teatro Vaccaj), Napoli (Conservatorio S.Pietro a Majella), Catania (Istituto Bellini), and Milan (Conservatorio G.Verdi). He is often requested to be a member of the judging panel in international competitions such as the Hugo Wolf International Lied Competition in Vienna, Austria and Stuttgart, Germany, and was, in 2005, the jury chairman for the 2005 Renata Tebaldi Competition in San Marino.
As an author, he has written many essays and articles regarding vocal art and has edited the new teachers' edition of The Practical Method of Italian Singing by Nicola Vaccai
Nicola Vaccai
Nicola Vaccai was an Italian composer, particularly of operas, and a singing teacher.-Life and career as a composer:...
. He also edited an Anthology of the German Lieder.
Battaglia is often considered to be a world leader in singing teaching and an expert regarding the works of Hugo Wolf
Hugo Wolf
Hugo Wolf was an Austrian composer of Slovene origin, particularly noted for his art songs, or lieder. He brought to this form a concentrated expressive intensity which was unique in late Romantic music, somewhat related to that of the Second Viennese School in concision but utterly unrelated in...
. Italian music critic
Music journalism
Music journalism is criticism and reportage about music. It began in the eighteenth century as comment on what is now thought of as 'classical music'. This aspect of music journalism, today often referred to as music criticism , comprises the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of...
and author Massimo Mila (who writes for La Stampa
La Stampa
La Stampa is one of the best-known, most influential and most widely sold Italian daily newspapers. Published in Turin, it is distributed in Italy and other European nations. The current owner is the Fiat Group.-History:...
and l'Unità
L'Unità
l'Unità is an Italian left-wing newspaper, originally founded as official newspaper of the Italian Communist Party.-History:L'Unità was founded by Antonio Gramsci on 12 February 1924, as the newspaper of workers and peasants, the official newspaper of Italian Communist Party : it was printed in...
) wrote of Maestro Battaglia: "...thanks to his passionate teaching style and large numbers of resident students, he has almost turned the Turin Conservatory into a branch office of the Vienna University of Music and Dramatic Art."
Battaglia’s teaching was so influential that for the 1991-1992 opera season’s opening night at Teatro Regio in Torino, Conductor Maurizio Benini cast Humperdinck’s “Hansel und Gretel” entirely from Battaglia’s studio of singers.. No event like this had ever happened before in Italy.
In 1987 he was awarded the Hugo Wolf Medal from the International Hugo Wolf Society of Vienna for his artistic achievements.
Sources
- Bach-cantatas.com, Elio Battaglia (Baritone)
- The Lieder Sound Archive, Elio Battaglia - baritono (in Italian)