Mario, GIUSEPPE

Mario, GIUSEPPE, the famous tenor, was by birth the Cavaliere di Candia and son of General di Candia. He was born at Cagliari in 1808 (not at Genoa or Turin in 1812), and served in the army for some years. But a youthful escapade led to his forsaking Italy for Paris, where he quickly won his way into the most exclusive circles both by the charm of his manners and his exquisite voice. Having contracted debts, however, he accepted the appointment of first tenor of the Opera, with a salary of 1500 francs per month, changing his name at the same time from De Candia to Mario. After two years' study at the Conservatoire Mario made his début, on the 2d December 1838, as Robert in Robert le Diable, and achieved the first of a long series of operatic triumphs in Paris, London, St Petersburg, and America. His répertoire embraced all the great works of Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, and Verdi. By the famous singer Giulia Grisi (q.v.) he was the father of six daughters. In private he was esteemed for his large-handed liberality and for his noble assistance to struggling artists. In his later years after his retirement from the stage he lost his fortune through disastrous speculations. In May 1878 a benefit concert in London yielded him as much as £1000. He died at Rome, 11th December 1883. See Engel's Musical Celebrities (1886).