Carlo Arpesani

(1820-1855)

Close friend of Bottesini, fellow Bass student at the Milan Conservatory.

Arpesani's career as a bassist was curtailed by his ardent nationalism and involvment in the Young Italy Movement. (See "Bottesini and the Risorgimento")

He died in Florence before a firing squad, which he'd been told would be firing blanks. This tragedy was, of course, engineered by Moristo. Bottesini passionately retold the tale of Arpesani's death in his third opera, L'assedio di Firenze (1856).

Arepasani is featured as Bottesini's ardently nationalistic friend in the sole released chapter of a fictionalized (and somewhat questionable) biography of Bottesini.


"We all must learn where to place our fingers."
© 1997, Jeff Brooks (mtic@aol.com)