Ernesto Tomasini

ERNESTO TOMASINI

Tomasini began his career at the age of sixteen in the Italian comedy circuit. Shortly after, he transitioned to the stage, appearing alongside one of Italy’s leading stars at the time, Duilio Del Prete, in the national premiere of *Morte nella notte di Natale* (*Death on Christmas Night*) by Franz Xaver Kroetz. He later performed in numerous theatrical productions, never abandoning his first love: cabaret, which he continues to pursue to this day. In 1992, he moved to the United Kingdom, where, after graduating from the Arts Educational London School, he worked as an actor/singer in stage productions such as *Chicago the Musical*, Off-West End productions (*Mr China’s Son* by Blind Summit), experimental theater companies (Lindsay Kemp), and at the Royal National Theatre (*The English Man…*). After some early experiments in the late 1990s with a production called *The Other Woman*, in 2002 Tomasini began creating (in various capacities) his own shows and first gained attention with an appearance at the Edinburgh Festival with *True or Falsetto? A Secret History of the Castrati*. Written by *Time Out* critic Lucy Powell, the show was a success not only in Edinburgh but also in London for two seasons and on international tours in three different languages. This was followed by Ernesto’s script for *The Veiled Screen: A Secret History of Hollywood!*, which had two runs in London in 2006, sponsored by the Arts Council of England. Tomasini’s performance style—a dark, twisted operatic blend of Italian cabaret, avant-garde performance art, and provocative Vaudeville—has been described as “both shocking and moving.” Over the past seventeen years, he has lent his wide vocal range to experimental music, singing an eclectic repertoire written for him by a multitude of musicians, while also becoming an international cult figure. He also performs a more classical repertoire, often alongside opera stars, in opera houses and concert halls. His wide vocal range combined with his melodramatic interpretation has drawn press attention: *Frontiers* magazine described him as “the most exciting and eccentric personality to shake up the opera world since Klaus Nomi,” and the Italian newspaper *La Repubblica* called him a “leading figure in avant-garde circuits with his seductive high-pitched voice reminiscent of castrato singers.” In 2024, he performed in Franco Maresco’s *Jazz Nights* at Teatro Santa Cecilia (Palermo), at *Crazy Coqs* in London, and as a singer and actor in *Derek Jarman’s Blue Live* by composer Simon Fisher Turner at the National Museum of Cinema in Turin, Italy. In 2023, he presented a new solo concert at the Danae Festival in Milan and played a significant role in the centenary production of Donizetti’s *La Fille du Regiment* at the Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania, directed by Marco Gandini, with musical direction by Giuliano Carella, featuring John Osborn, Jessica Nuccio, and Madelyn Renee. In 2022, he sang early 20th-century cabaret songs with soprano Hila Baggio, directed by Omer Meir Wellber. Other collaborations include Marc Almond, the late “father of industrial music” Peter Christopherson (founder of Coil, Throbbing Gristle, and Psychic TV), Current 93 (he was a special guest at their first concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall alongside Anohni), the album *Madame E.*, a free reinterpretation of Georges Bataille’s novella *Madame Edwarda* with Mirco Magnani, electronic producer Shackleton, who wrote *Devotional Songs* for him (both the live show and album), producer Man Parrish, Julia Kent (Antony & the Johnsons), Andrew Liles (Nurse With Wound), Rolo McGinty of The Woodentops, Spiritual Front, members of Larsen, Othon, Adam Donen, and José Macabra. Tomasini is the singer/composer for the prog-rock band Almagest!. As a recording artist, he has sung on 17 albums, four singles, five music videos, and the soundtrack for a Bruce LaBruce film.