Ernesto Tomasini (born 15 May 1968) is an Italian actor/singer living in Britain.
Tomasini has been very active on the Italian comedy circuit, legitimate theatre and TV since the age of 16. In the early '90s he moved to the UK where, after graduating at the Arts Educational London School, he has had a varied career, working as actor/singer on the West End stage ("Chicago the Musical"), in Off-West End productions (Blind Summit's "Mr China's Son") and with experimental theatre companies (Lindsay Kemp). As avant-garde comedian and cabaret artist Ernesto has performed in theatres, nightclubs and cultural institutes in ten countries around the world, winning two prizes in Great Britain. On radio he has sung and acted on all the BBC stations, Classic FM, Radio 3 (Spain), Radio Aligre (France) and Radio New Zealand. Among his many TV and film appearances: "Crowded Skies" (BBC2, UK), "Premio Anna Magnani" (RAI3, Italy) "Boulevard" (RTL4, Holland) and "Children of Men" (Universal Pictures). As voiceover artist and singer he has worked for directors James Ivory, Kevin Spacey, Ridley Scott, Bruce LaBruce and Richard Eyre.
Having made some early experiments in the late 90s with a production called "The Other Woman",in 2002 Tomasini formed his own theatre company and first attracted attention with an appearance at the Edinburgh Festival. Under the company's umbrella he has created two shows: "True or Falsetto?" (as performer/producer) and "The Veiled Screen" (as performer/playwright). The first was a sell out hit in Edinburgh, in London and on international tours (in three different languages), whilst the second production has had two London runs in 2006, sponsored by the Arts Council of England. Tomasini’s style of performance, an operatic, dark and twisted blend of Italian Cabaret, avant-garde performance art and thought-provoking Vaudeville, has been described as "exhilarating and moving at the same time". He inserted these elements in his latest production, a deviced piece created with other Italian artists in London, entitled "Camurrìa!". It previewed at the Riverside Studios in June 2008 for the first edition of the Italian Theatre Season.
As soloist Tomasini has sung in London at the Royal Albert Hall, the Purcell Room and the National Theatre. In more recent times he has collaborated with experimental musicians who have written original material for his voice: For a year and a half he has been the muse of composer Othon and has performed with him in concert halls around Europe, attracting critical acclaim and a loyal fanbase. He has also collaborated with Andrew Liles (Nurse With Wound), Fabrizio Modonese Palumbo (Larsen), Peter Christopherson (aka Sleazy of Coil, Throbbing Gristle and Psychic TV) and Current 93. Ernesto has sung for Liles at the Sala Apolo in Barcelona and at the Wet Sounds Festival in London (in the first ever under water concert) and has recorded tracks that became part of his CDs: "The Vortex Vault Collection" (Beta-lactam Ring Records, 2007). With Palumbo he has performed at Les Voutes in Paris and has produced the album "Canes Venatici" (Blossoming Noise, 2007). With Christopherson's The Threshold HouseBoys Choir he has appeared (alongside David Tibet, Ivan Pavlov and Othon Mataragas) at the Ambrosio Cinema in Turin, Italy, in a new, live soundtrack for Derek Jarman's "The Angelic Conversation". The original music for the movie was created in 1985 by Coil and the Turin show was dedicated to the memory of John Balance, who, with Christopherson, founded Coil. On April 21st Ernesto appeared as special guest singer, alongside Marc Almond and Antony (of Antony & the Johnsons) at the Current 93 / Baby Dee concert in London's Queen Elizabeth Hall.
Last month he was celebrated in his hometown, Palermo, with a special evening entitled "Tomasini con la O", in which he discussed his life, career and main sources of inspiration. A lecturer on theatre history and techniques Ernesto has given master-classes to drama students in England, Spain and Mexico.
Discography
Black Widow (2007) Beta Lactam-ring Records
Black Sea (2007) Beta Lactam-ring Records
When I Leave You (2007) Othon Mataragas
Canes Venatici (2007) Blossoming Noise
Selected Work
Reunion in Genthin, stage (1995)
Grand Hotel - The Musical, stage (1995)
The Tempest, stage (1995)
Varietè, stage (1996/97)
The Other Woman, stage (1998/99)
Woman's Hour, BBC Radio 4 (1998)
The Lenny Beige Show at the Regency Rooms, cabaret (1998)
The Conquering Hero of Seville, stage (1999)
The Amazing Tomasini at the Tron Theatre, Glasgow, cabaret (2001)
COPA at the Royal Albert Hall, concert (2001)
State of the Nation at the Purcell Room, concert (2002)
Outlook, BBC World (2002)
Mr China's Son, stage (2002)
Thunderpants, Film (2002)
True or Falsetto? A Secret History of the Castrati, stage (2002-2007)
Walking the Outer Road, Radio NZ (2003)
The Englishman Sits in a Caravan at St Osyth/Singing, opera (2003)
Cabaret - The Musical, stage (2003)
Crowded Skies, TV (2003)
Chicago - The Musical, stage (2004/05)
Dream Team, TV (2004)
The Bottle Factory Outing, BBC Radio 4 (2005)
The Veiled Screen: A Secret History of Hollywood, stage (2005/06)
Stars Fall From Heaven at the Colourscape Festival, performance art (2006)
Children of Men, Film (2006)
Siglo 21, Radio 3 Spain (2007)
Nurse With Wound at the Sala Apolo, Barcelona, concert (2007)
Othon & Tomasini, European tour, concert (2007/08)
Otto; or, Up with Dead People, Film soundtrack (2008)
The Angelic Conversation with The Threshold HouseBoys Choir, Torino Italy, concert (2008)
Current 93 at Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, concert (2008)
Camurrìa!, stage (2008)
Nurse With Wound at the Wet Sounds Festival, London, concert (2008)
External links
Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:
Ernesto Tomasini
official website
Guardian Unlimited interview by Samantha Ellis from 2002
La Stampa article from 2007
Mixtape interview by Biku Stratake on Greek National Press, 2007
British Theatre Guide review by Gill Stoker, 2003
Ernesto Tomasini at the Internet Movie Database
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Categories: 1968 births | British film actors | Living people
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