Ernesto Vinci

Vinci, Ernesto

Ernesto (b Ernst Moritz) Vinci (b Wreszynski). Teacher, baritone, adjudicator, physician, b Berlin 20 Apr 1898, naturalized Canadian 1944, d Moncton, NB, 7 Nov 1983; MD (Berlin) 1924, MD (Milan) 1933, honorary DU (Calgary) 1969. He studied singing, after 1920, at the Hochschule für Musik in Berlin and privately with Ernst Grenzebach and Louis Bachner in Berlin and Milan. While practising medicine in Milan, he sang in recital, in opera, and on radio until 1938, when he moved to New York. There he was referred by Toscanini to Wilfrid Pelletier, who had been asked to recommend a director for the vocal department of the Halifax Cons (Maritime Conservatory of Music). While in Halifax 1938-45 Vinci also lectured at Dalhousie University and at Pine Hill Divinity Hall, taught singing at the Halifax Ladies' College, sang in recital and performed in The Marriage of Figaro, The Abduction from the Seraglio, and Dido and Aeneas. He taught 1945-79 at the RCMT and 1952-72 at the University of Toronto, building a reputation as one of Canada's leading voice teachers. He gave summer courses 1945-8 in Winnipeg and 1949-69 at the Banff CA, where he was the head of the vocal (later opera) department and touring company and where in 1958 he co-produced Trevor Jones' opera The Broken Ring. He continued to perform and present concerts until the mid-1960s. He wrote articles on voice production and related subjects for Opera Canada and CBC Times. His pupils included John Arab, Maurice Brown, Glyn Evans, Marguerite Gignac, Robert Goulet, Alexander Gray, Elizabeth Benson Guy, Joan Hall, Avo Kittask, Andrew MacMillan, Joan Maxwell, Mary Morrison, Ivanka Myhal, Maria Pellegrini, Sheila Piercey, Roxolana Roslak, Louise Roy, Alice Strong Rourke, Bernard Turgeon, and Portia White. In April 1987 a rehearsal studio in the COC's Joey and Toby Tanenbaum Opera Centre in Toronto was named Vinci Hall in his honour. At the time of his death he was living in retirement in Shediac, NB.