He is best known for the unusual manner of his death, as documented by the composer Giovanni Pacini.Pacini, Giovanni, Le mie memorie artistiche, p. 34: Florence, 1865 (accessible for free on line in books.google) Singing the second tenor part in a performance of Pacini's opera Cesare in Egitto, Sbigoli took part in a vocal quintet with first tenor Domenico Donzelli. In the course of the quintet, Sbigoli's character was to sing a phrase "closely resembling one sung just previously by Donzelli".Weinstock, Herbert, Donizetti, pp. 26–27: New York, 1963 Attempting to match Donzelli's powerful voice, Sbigoli overstrained himself, burst a blood vessel in his neck, and died shortly thereafter.
