1763-1846. Born in Venice, Dragonetti stayed there, playing in the orchestra at San Marco until he moved to London at age 21 and settled there. At the age of twelve, he was placed under the tuition of Berini, the best master for the double bass in Venice, who decided after only eleven lessons that he could not teach the boy anything more. He left Venice on September 16, 1794, and finally appeared as orchestra member in the opera Zenobia in Palmira, by Giovanni Paisiello, on December 20, 1794. After only a few months, he became very famous in London, and his brilliant career was to last till the end. He had a huge hand, with strong, broad fingers, which allowed him to play with a taller bridge and strings twice as far from the fingerboard as the other bassists. His prized instrument was the famous Gasparo da Salo bass. It is reputed that Dragonetti was presented with this instrument made by Gasparo da Salo (1542-1609) by the Benedictine nuns who occupied St Peter's monastery in Vicenza where Dragonetti lived and played in the Grand Opera. It has been suggested that the instrument may have been made for the monks of St Peter's, Vicenza, by Gasparo da Salo, and acquired by the procurators of St Mark's to entice Dragonetti to remain in their employ. His closest companion for several years was his dog Carlo, who would sleep under his stool during performances, sometimes awakening to howl during tenor solos.