Biography
"An iconoclast and innovative artist, Ernesto Tomasini moves with ease from classical and experimental theatre to radio and from contemporary music to alternative cabaret. Add to all that a sprinkle of television and cinema and you get an eclectic and exciting body of work". (Giornale Della Musica - 2008)
For the past five years Ernesto Tomasini has been lending his wide vocal range to experimental music projects: he is the singer of the Othon & Tomasini duo and has performed with it in historical theatres around Europe and in London venues like the Roundhouse and the National Portrait Gallery (with Marc Almond as special guest on various occasions). He is singer/songwriter of the prog-rock band Almagest!, with which he also tours extensively, having appeared, early last year, at the Volksbuehne in Berlin and the Natural History Museum in Turin. More recently, with dj José Macabra, he has begun a noise music project, called Trans4Leben, which opened the 2011 Drop Dead Festival in Berlin. Tomasini boasts collaborations with the late "father of industrial music" Peter Christopherson (founder of Coil, Psychic TV, Throbbing Gristle), Andrew Liles (Nurse With Wound) and Current 93 (he was special guest at their first Queen Elizabeth Hall concert, alongside Antony of Antony & the Johnsons). As soloist he has sung his repertoire in London venues like the Royal Albert Hall, Purcell Room, National Theatre and Tate Britain. As a recording artist he has six albums released on prestigious indie labels (Durtro, Cherry Red/SFE), plus two singles, two music videos and a guest spot on the soundtrack of Bruce LaBruce's penultimate film. (For more details see the "MUSIC" page on this site). Ernesto has performed at two editions of the London Fashion Week, for Lady Gaga's milliner Nasir Mazhar. His collaborations with Ron Athey, Stephen Montague and the Resonance Radio Orchestra are among his more recent forays into performance art.

Tomasini was born artistically, aged 16, as an "exotic turn", in a smoky club by the port of his hometown of Palermo. After his first steps in legitimate theatre in Rome, with movie star Duilio Del Prete, TV comedian Nino Frassica and a brief but formative experience with the Dario Fò family, he moved to London. Here he played lead roles with experimental theatre companies (Lindsay Kemp), in Off-West End productions (Blind Summit's "Mr China's Son") and on the West End ("Chicago - The Musical"). He went on to create his own shows to critical acclaim, giving birth to a cult following (see the "SHOWS" page on this site). Throughout the years he never abandoned the cabaret world and even today makes very sporadic cameos at major events. He performed his latest one at the Alternative Miss Liverpool 2011, alongside David Hoyle, Fenella Fielding and Andrew Logan. On radio he has sung and acted on all the BBC stations, Classic FM and on many national channels around the world (most notably in Spain, Greece and New Zealand). As film and TV actor he was cast in major projects for the BBC and Universal Pictures, by directors like Alfonso Cuarón and Pete Hewitt. As voiceover artist he has worked for Hollywood greats James Ivory, Ridley Scott, Kevin Spacey and Rob Marshall. A sought-after lecturer on theatre history and techniques, he has given master-classes to students in drama schools in UK, Spain and Mexico. His work and performance style are discussed in three books and an academic essay.
Ernesto is the London correspondent of the Italian magazine "Musical!". He lives with his nephew in the heart of Chelsea, where he collects Julie Andrews memorabilia.








