CAMPOBELLO, Enrico [?MARTIN, Henry Maclean] (b ? Campbeltown, Scotland, c 1836; d after 1918)

This chapter presents a biography of mid- to late-19th-century vocalist Enrico Campobello. The baritone who called himself – most of the time – 'Signor Campobello' is a difficult fellow. When, in 1872, he appeared in London, in his latest metamorphosis as Signor Campobello, an opera singer from Italy, the press nodded, satisfiedly, oh yes, obviously a 'Mr Campbell' from Scotland. And Henry apparently went along with that. Because it appears that he'd worked as 'Mr Campbell', among other names, before going off to be vocally finished and unofficially renamed in Italy. But Campbell was possibly as much a pseudonym as Campobello. 'Signor Campobello' 'from Italy' surfaces in London in 1872. He has been engaged by Mr Mapleson for the Italian opera season. The Musical World continued to do him proud and reported the following month on 'Signor Campobello's morning concert'.