Nicola Rossi-Lemeni

Nicola Rossi-Lemeni
Nicola Rossi Lemeni (photo with 1946 dedication)
Born(1920-11-06)November 6, 1920
DiedMarch 12, 1991(1991-03-12) (aged 70)
Bloomington, Indiana, United States
OccupationsOpera singer, professor
SpouseVirginia Zeani

Nicola Rossi-Lemeni (November 6, 1920 – March 12, 1991), was a basso opera singer of mixed Italian-Russian parentage.

Rossi-Lemeni was born in Istanbul, Ottoman Empire, the son of an Italian colonel and a Russian mother. In his prime he was one of the most respected bassos in Italy. The composer Ildebrando Pizzetti wrote the opera Assassinio nella cattedrale (1958) specifically for Rossi-Lemeni. He was also a prize-winning poet and a painter. Late in his career he was a well-respected teacher.