# A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Nicolini, Nicolino

From volume 2 of the work.
​NICOLINI, Nicolino Grimaldi, detto, one of the greatest singers of the last century, was born at Naples about 1673. He received a good education, and could write very fair verses, as appears from the libretti which bear his name as their author. His voice, originally a soprano, soon sank into a fine contralto. The first dramas in which his name has been found are 'Tullo Ostilio' and 'Serse,' set by Buononcini, at Rome, 1694, in which he sang with the celebrated Pistocchi. During 1697–8, he was the principal singer in the operas at Naples; and in 1699 and 1700 was again performing at Rome. After this, he sang in other Italian cities, including Milan and Venice; and, being decorated at the latter place with the Order of St. Mark, he was thenceforth always known as the 'Cavaliere Nicolini.'
Late in the autumn of 1708, he came to England, drawn hither by the report of our passion for foreign operas, and 'without any particular invitation or engagement' (Cibber). Here he made his first appearance, Dec. 14, in the 'Pyrrhus and Demetrius' of A. Scarlatti, translated into English by Owen Swiny, the manager, and arranged by N. Haym, who wrote a new overture and some songs for it. In this, of course, Nicolini sang his part in Italian, while other singers performed theirs in English. Steele describes this opera as 'a noble entertainment,' and declares that he 'was fully satisfied with the sight of an Actor [Nicolini] who, by the Grace and Propriety of his Action and Gesture, does Honour to an Human Figure,' and 'sets off the Character he bears in an Opera by his Action, as much as he does the Words of it by his Voice. Every Limb, and every Finger, contributes to the Part he acts, insomuch that a deaf Man might go along with him in the Sense of it,' with much more to the samepurport. The opera prices were raised on the arrival of this performer, the first truly great singer who had ever sung in our theatre (Burney). In fact, the whole scheme of the subscription was probably remodelled according to his recommendations. Some curious papersexist, the collection of Vice-Chamberlain Coke, by which it appears that Nicolini furnished that official with a full account of the system on which the Venetian opera was managed, and that he suggested a similar system for that of London. One chief feature was that a subscription of 1000 gs. should be got from the Queen (Anne); and on this Coke founded a calculation which led to the remodelling of the opera-subscription and raising of the prices, in order to remedy what Nicolini described as the 'annual and certain loss of money' which our Opera had till then suffered.
Though not attracted to London by an engagement, Nicolini had been immediately secured by Swiny for a year. Tosi, in his Treatise on Singing, doubts whether a perfect singer can at the same time be a perfect actor; but Galliard, the translator of that Treatise, says (in a note, 1742),—'Nicolini had both qualities, more than any that have come hither since. He acted to perfection, and did not sing much inferior. His variations in the airs were excellent; but in his cadences he had a few antiquated tricks.' Nicolini next appeared in 'Camilla'; and in May he signed an engagement with Swiny for three years, at a salary of 800 gs.; the singer to receive, in addition, £150 for a new opera 'to be by him fitted for the English stage every season, if such opera shall be approved of.'
[ J. M. ]
* ↑ Tatler. Jan. 3, 1709.
* ↑ In the writer's possession.
* ↑ In the writer's possession.
* ↑ Ib.
* ↑ Spectator. March 15, 1710–11.
* ↑ Ib. June 14, 1712.
* ↑ Galllard's 'Calypso and Telemachus,' words by Hughes.
* ↑ Daily Courant.