A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Mengozzi, Bernardo
MENGOZZI, Bernardo, distinguished both as a singer and a composer, was born in 1758 at Florence, where he first studied music. He afterwards had instruction at Venice from Pasquale Potenza, cantor of St. Mark's. In Lent of 1785, Lord Mount-Edgcumbe found him singing in oratorio at Naples, with Signora Benini, whom he soon afterwards married. After singing together at several Italian theatres, the two came to London in 1786, but our climate was very ill-suited to Mengozzi, whose voice, a good tenor, but wanting in power, suffered much and permanently from its rigour. He was too ill, indeed, to appear with Benini in the first opera in which she sang here, the 'Giannina e Bernardone' of Cimarosa, with new songs by Cherubini. He played, however, the principal part in 'Il Tutor Burlato' of Paisiello, and showed himself 'a good musician, with a good style of singing, but still too feeble to excite any other sensation in the audience than pity for the state of his health' (Burney). In March, Handel's 'Giulio Cesare' was revived, with additions from others of his works; and in this pasticcio (1787) Mengozzi took part. But he did not do himself justice, and was soon superseded by Morelli, as his wife was by la Storace.
From London Mengozzi went to Paris, where he was heard to advantage in the concerts given by Marie Antoinette, and among the Italian company of the Théâtre de Monsieur, with Mandini and Viganoni. He remained at Paris after the Revolution, and supported himself by giving lessons and writing operettas for the Feydeau and Montansier Theatres. When the Conservatoire was established, he was named 'Professeur de Chant,' and is remembered as having formed several distinguished pupils.
Mengozzi had, during many years, compiled the materials for a 'Méthode de Chant' for the Conservatoire; but he died, before he had completed it, in March, 1800. The work was edited by Langlé. Fétis gives a list of his operas, now all long forgotten.[ J. M. ]