"Mattia Battistini (27 February 1856 – 7 November 1928) was an Italian operatic baritone. He became internationally famous due to the beauty of his voice and his virtuoso technique, which earned him the sobriquet of the "King of Baritones". In the first three years he toured Italy singing in rôles from La forza del destino, Il trovatore, Rigoletto, Il Guarany, Gli Ugonotti, Dinorah, L’Africana, I Puritani, Lucia di Lammermoor, Aïda, and Ernani, as well as taking part in several premières. In 1881 he went to Buenos Aires for the first time, touring South America for more than a year. On his return trip, he appeared in Barcelona and Madrid where he sang Figaro in Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia. His success in this was enormous and was the beginning of his real popularity as a great star. In 1883 he visited Covent Garden, London, where he appeared as Riccardo in Puritani opposite Marcella Sembrich, Francesco Marconi and Edouard de Reszke. He also sang with Adelina Patti, the leading soprano of her era. In such company, there was not much attention paid to a new young baritone! He would receive much greater réclame in London in later years. He did have a fine success at his first appearances at the Teatro San Carlo, Naples, in 1886. In 1888 he again travelled to Buenos Aires. It proved to be his last transatlantic trip. He never appeared in North America. He is said to have developed a horror of sea travel. 1888 was also the year of his début at La Scala, Milan."