Enrico Toselli

Enrico Toselli, Count of Montignoso, was born on March 13, 1883, in Florence, Italy. A talented pianist and composer, he honed his skills under the tutelage of Giovanni Sgambati for piano and studied composition with Giuseppe Martucci and Reginaldo Grazzini. Toselli's career as a concert pianist took him across Italy and to major European cities, Alexandria, and North America, where he captivated audiences with his performances.

Among his compositions, the Serenata 'Rimpianto' Op.6 No.1 stands out as his most celebrated work. In addition to this, he created two operettas: La cattiva Francesca in 1912 and La principessa bizzarra in 1913, showcasing his versatility as a composer.

Toselli's life was marked by a scandalous romance with Archduchess Louise of Austria, the former Crown Princess of Saxony, whom he eloped with in 1907. This relationship drew significant public attention, especially given Louise's tumultuous past, including her divorce from Frederick Augustus of Saxony in 1903. Their marriage, however, ended in divorce in 1912, and they had one son, Carlo Emanuele, born on May 7, 1908.

After his divorce, Toselli published his memoirs, titled Mari d’altesse: 4 ans de mariage avec Louise de Toscane, ex-princesse de Saxe, in French, providing a glimpse into his life with royalty. Tragically, he succumbed to consumption on January 15, 1926, at the young age of forty-three, leaving behind a legacy intertwined with both music and scandal.