“ GROSSI, GIOVANNI FRANCESCO (?–1699) , one of the greatest Italian singers of the age of bel canto, better known as Siface, was born at Pescia in Tuscany about the middle of the 17th century. He entered the papal chapel in 1675, and later sang at Venice. He derived his nickname of Siface from his impersonation of that character in an opera of Cavalli. It has generally been said that he appeared as Siface in Alessandro Scarlatti’s Mitridate, but the confusion is due to his having sung the part of Mitridate in Scarlatti’s Pompeo at Naples in 1683. ”