t h e r o s a t r o u p e
Enrico Campobello
Enrico Campobello was the stage name of a British baritone who is
sometimes identified as one Henry McClean Martin and alternatively named as a
Campbell born at Campbeltown in Argyllshire in 1839. He seems to have been Scots
born although the year is doubtful. The uncertainty makes it difficult to chart
his career. His claim of Italian training in the 1860s rings true although it
was probably preceded by some appearances as Campbell before popular London
audiences. He became Signor Campi for his operatic debut in Italy and continued
to use it when singing for Mapleson in London later in the decade. Campobello
was born on his return to Italy in 1870, probably to avoid confusion with the
baritone Giuseppe Ciampi, and it remained with him throughout his career. He
returned to London a year later and remained with Mapleson until 1874 and was
recruited for the first Rosa London season.
The company’s introduction to London audiences was Mozart’s Marriage of
Figaro conducted by Rosa at the Princess’s Theatre on 11 September 1875. A
strong cast with Santley as Figaro, Ostava Torriani as the Countess, Rose Hersee
as Rosina, and Campobello as Almaviva gave a memorable performance to establish
the company’s metropolitan reputation. Campobello proved his worth amidst a
stellar cast with The Era review giving ‘hearty praise’ to his Almaviva
and years later the eminent critic Herman Klein remembered the performance as
‘the best ever given in the English language.’ Campobello remained with the
company in London and the provinces until December 1875 adding Valentine,
Arnheim and Don José (Maritana) to his Rosa repertoire. Attempts to
follow in Rosa’s footsteps with his own opera company failed and he was bankrupt
by the summer of the following year. He rejoined the Rosa in late 1877 for a few
provincial appearances and departed at Manchester in November after an overall
total of forty performances with the company. He never sang with the Rosa again.
Campobello briefly visited America in 1878 but his career was mainly in Britain
and the continent before returning to America in 1883 and remaining there. He
sang with the Emma Abbott opera company for two seasons before continuing for
many years as vocalist, speculative impresario, and self publicist, as
circumstances dictated. His career did not lack variety but he would probably
have fared better if he had focused upon singing. He presumably died in America
about 1920 but details are lacking. He was elusive to the end! .
© 2022 John Ward
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