Francesco Tamagno was one of the most celebrated artists of late 19th-century Italian opera, acclaimed and in high demand all over the world. The imposing, stark white mausoleum that dominates the Mezzelune section of the cemetery hides the tenor's humble origins. Francesco, playfully nicknamed "Chichin" (meaning "bean" or "little thing" in Piedmontese), was born on December 28, 1850, in the modest neighborhood of Borgo Dora. Little Chichin had 14 siblings, 10 of whom tragically died from cholera and tuberculosis—pandemics that swept through as a consequence of the war in 1859.
Francesco was one of only five surviving children. Like his siblings, he worked as a waiter in the family’s modest tavern, known as the "Trattoria dei Pesci Vivi" (Tavern of the Live Fish), so named because it overlooked the banks of the Dora River where fish were caught fresh on the spot. The very first stage Chichin performed on was this family tavern, where father and son, both passionate about singing, would challenge each other to vocal contests.
Because his family's financial struggles prevented him from getting a formal musical education, Francesco began singing in the church choir and attended lessons with a master just once a week. Fortune smiled upon him in 1871 when the lead tenor at the Teatro Regio in Turin fell ill. Francesco, who was only 21 at the time, was chosen as the understudy. Those present testified that his voice was so powerful it "made the chandeliers of the Regio shake." From that moment on, Tamagno racked up successes at every stop of his tour across Italy.
Starting on September 2, 1879, Tamagno was accompanied on his tours by a charming little companion: his only and beloved daughter, Margherita, born from a secret affair with a married noblewoman. Because of this, Tamagno chose to legally recognize his daughter and become a single father—a highly progressive choice for his time. He dedicated all his love to his daughter, promising that she would be the only creature he would ever love with all his soul. Indeed, the two were inseparable.
Tamagno achieved international fame thanks to a fateful encounter with the famous composer Giuseppe Verdi. Verdi’s Otello, in which Tamagno played the titular role, became his signature performance, leading him to the stage of Milan's Teatro alla Scala in 1887. Before entrusting him with the opera, Verdi frankly told Tamagno that he didn't have much faith in him. Tamagno immediately asked to be put to the test, well aware that while many artists had more talent than him, none had more heart.
Even though Francesco commanded a astronomical salary from that point onward, he always lived quite frugally—so much so that, according to some, he belonged in Dante’s circle of the greedy. Story goes that to save money, Tamagno would bring his own candles from home to avoid paying inflated prices. In reality, however, Tamagno was also very generous; during his life and in his will, he made substantial donations to charitable organizations. He also didn't mind fine gifts, such as a wallet covered in diamonds and rubies that he owned and jealously guarded.
Before his art could leave him, Tamagno left his art in 1898 due to health issues. He suffered an attack of angina pectoris (severe chest pain) in the spring of 1905, and later that same year, he was fatally struck by a brain hemorrhage. His daughter Margherita stayed by his side until his very last breath. Francesco Tamagno passed away at the young age of 54. He was embalmed and brought to Turin, according to his wishes, to be buried alongside his beloved parents.
Margherita commissioned the imposing, 38-meter-high (125-foot) mausoleum that towers over the cemetery, which cost nearly as much as the entire Primitivo section of the graveyard itself. Construction was a long process, lasting from 1906 to 1912. Its brilliant gleam is due to the almost exclusive use of pure white marble, which also forms the enigmatic sphinxes guarding the entrance. During a stormy night, a bolt of lightning struck the mausoleum, beheading one of the two sphinxes. Due to the high cost of the resulting restorations, Tamagno's heirs turned over the maintenance of the mausoleum to the Municipality of Turin in 1999, ensuring the preservation of the memory of one of the most passionate and powerful voices in Italian opera.
Sources:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francesco_Tamagno
- https://www.lacivettaditorino.it/il-tenore-francesco-tamagno-e-il-suo-mausoleo-parte-1/
- https://www.lacivettaditorino.it/il-tenore-francesco-tamagno-e-il-suo-mausoleo-parte-2/
*Research, iconography, and multimedia curation by Dr. Sara Clemente, Art History Degree Candidate at the University of Turin (Università degli Studi di Torino).