| |
DOMENICO CIMAROSA (1749 - 1801)
|
|
| |
Domenico Cimarosa was born son of a stone mason, on December 17th 1749 in Aversa near Naples, Italy.
His father, Gennaro, died while Domenico was a child. Domenico and his mother lived near the monastery San Severo, where the organist
Father Polcano, gave him music lessons. Later he was admitted to the Conservatorio di Santa Maria di Loreto, where he was taught
counterpoint, harmony, and composition in addition to becoming a skilled violinist and Keyboardplayer.
From 1771 he started composing operas. And when Piccinni left for Paris and Paisiello for St. Petersburg,
Domenico quickly rose in fame. And he fed the theatres in Naples with a series of operas before he left for St.Petersburg in 1787.
Empress Catherine didn't like his operas however, so he left in 1791 when his contract expired and spent a years time in Vienna,
before returning to Naples in the spring 1793. His friend and patron Leopold, the former Grand Duke of Tuscany was now Emperor of
Austria, but he died in 1792.
Back in Naples Cimarosa was appointed first organist of the royal chapel. When Naples was occupied by
Napoleon's republican forces in 1799, Cimarosa made the mistake of composing a patriotic hymn, which was sung at the ceremonial
burning of the royal flag. King Ferdinand's troops re-entered the city and despite trying to compensate, Cimarosa was imprisoned
and nearly beheaded.
Cimarosa was expelled from Naples 'forever', so he returned to Venice in December 1800. But he was already
seriously ill and died on January 11th, 1801. Cardinal Consalvi, Secretary of State to the papal court in Rome, who had rescued
Cimarosa from execution, arranged memorial rites at the Chiesa di San Carlo del Catinari. Here one of Cimarosa's Requiem Masses was
sung in his honour.
Cimarosa composed more than 60 operas. His fame was unparalleled until Rossini, and his works staged
all over Europe. He composed music that was suffused with lightness, elegance and finesse.
|
|