Napoleone Moriani

Since his tenor voice was well regarded in society, he tried an operatic career: his debut, in Pavia at the Teatro dei Condomini in 1833, was successful.

[1][2] During the following years he appeared on stage in many Italian cities, and from 1840 elsewhere in Europe: in Vienna at the Theater am Kärntnertor, in Germany including Dresden at the Court Theatre, in London at Her Majesty's Theatre and Drury Lane, and in Spain and Portugal, including the Teatro de la Cruz in Madrid;[2] he was decorated by the Queen of Spain with the Order of Isabella.

[1] Popular roles included Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor and Gennaro in Lucrezia Borgia, both operas by Gaetano Donizetti; he also appeared as Arturo in I Puritani by Vincenzo Bellini; in operas by Saverio Mercadante he was Ruggiero in Emma d'Antiochia, Odone in I normanni a Parigi and Carlo in Il bravo.

[2] Frank Walker in his book Verdi The Man came to the conclusion that Moriani was the father of two of the three Strepponi's children (born in 1838 and 1839, both dead early).

"[1] Because of a chronic disease of the larynx, his career declined early, and from the 1850s he lived in retirement on an estate he purchased near Greve in Chianti.