Niccolò Piccinni

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Niccolò Piccinni
Niccolò Piccinni

Niccolò Piccinni (January 16, 1728 - May 7, 1800) was an Italian composer of symphonies, sacred music, chamber music, and opera. Although he is somewhat obscure, even to music lovers today, Piccinni was one of the most popular composers of opera — particularly the Neapolitan opera buffa — of his day. Historically, he had the misfortune of falling between the generations of his great predecessors such as Pergolesi and the greats who came after him, including Domenico Cimarosa and Mozart.

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[edit] Life

Piccinni was born in Bari, and educated under Leonardo Leo and Francesco Durante, at the S. Onofrio Conservatory. For this, he had to thank the intervention of the Bishop of Bari, since his father, although himself a musician, was opposed to his son's following the same career. Piccinni's first opera, Le donne dispettose, was produced in 1755, and in 1760 he composed, at Rome, the chef d'œuvre of his early life, La Cecchina, ossia la buona Figliuola, an opera buffa with a libretto by Goldoni, which "enjoyed a two-year run in Rome and was played in all the important European capitals. It can probably be called the most popular opera buffa of the 18th century...[even more than]... Pergolesi's La serva padrona…[and]… The first of the new era, culminating in the masterworks of Mozart."[1]

Six years after this Piccinni was invited by Queen Marie Antoinette to Paris. He had married in 1756 his pupil Vincenza Sibilla, a singer, whom he never allowed to appear on the stage after their marriage. All his later works were successful; but the directors of the Grand Opera conceived the idea of deliberately opposing him to Gluck, by persuading the two composers to treat the same subject - Iphigénie en Tauride - simultaneously. The Parisian public was divided into two rival parties, which, under the names of Gluckists and Piccinnists, carried on an unworthy and disgraceful war. Gluck's masterly Iphigénie en Tauride was first produced on May 18, 1779. Piccinni's Iphigénie followed on January 23, 1781. The antagonism of the rival parties continued, even after Gluck left Paris in 1780; and an attempt was afterwards made to inaugurate a new rivalry with Sacchini. Piccinni remained popular, and on the death of Gluck, in 1787, proposed that a public monument be erected to his memory--a suggestion which the Gluckists refused to support.

In 1784 Piccinni became professor at the Royal School of Music, one of the institutions from which the Conservatoire was formed in 1794. On the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789, Piccinni returned to Naples, where he was at first well received by King Ferdinand IV; but the marriage of his daughter to a French democrat brought him disgrace - he was accused of being a revolutionary and placed under house arrest for four years. For the next nine years he maintained a precarious existence in Venice, Naples and Rome; but he returned in 1798 to Paris, where the public received him with enthusiasm, but he made no money. He died at Passy, near Paris. During his life, he worked with the greatest librettists of his age, including Metastasio. After his death a memorial tablet was set up in the house in which he was born at Bari.

The most complete list of his works was given in the Rivista musicale italiana, viii. 75. He produced over eighty operas, but although his later work shows the influence of the French and German stage, he belongs to the conventional Italian school of the 18th century.

[edit] List of works

Completed title length première libretto
1754 Le donne dispettose;

(or: Le trame per amore; La massara spiritosa)

 autumn 1754, Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini Antonio Palomba
1755 Il curioso del suo proprio danno 3 acts Carnival 1755/1756? Naples, Teatro Nuovo Antonio Palomba, after El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
1755 Le gelosie;

(or: Le gelosie, o Le nozze in confusione)

 spring 1755, Naples, Teatro dei Fiorenti Giovanni Battista Lorenzi
1756 Zenobia 3 acts 18 December 1756, Naples, Teatro San Carlo;

revised version: 1768, Naples

 Pietro Metastasio
1757 Farnace (in collaboration with David Perez)
1757 L'amante ridicolo;

(or: L'amante ridicolo e deluso; L'amante deluso)

 2 acts 1757, Naples, Teatro Nuovo Pioli
1757 La schiava seria;

(or: Die Sklavin)

 1757, Naples
1757 Caio Mario 1757?, Naples, Teatro San Carlo;

revised version: 20 January 1765, Naples, Teatro San Carlo

 Gaetano Roccaforte
1757 Nitteti;

(in collaboration with Cocchi)

 3 acts 4 November 1757, Naples, Teatro San Carlo Pietro Metastasio
1758 Alessandro nell'Indie 3 acts 1st version: 21 January 1758, Rome, Teatro Argentina;

2nd version: 12 January 1774, Naples, Teatro San Carlo

 Pietro Metastasio
1758 Gli uccellatori 1758, Naples or Venice  ?, after Carlo Goldoni
1758 Madama Arrighetta;

(or: Petiton; Monsieur Petiton)

 3 acts autumn or winter 1758, Naples, Teatro Nuovo Antonio Palomba, after Monsieur Petiton by Carlo Goldoni
1758 La scaltra letterata;

(or: La scaltra spiritosa)

 3 acts winter 1758, Naples, Teatro Nuovo Antonio Palomba
1759 Siroe rè di Persia 3 acts 1759, Naples Pietro Metastasio
1759 Ciro riconosciuto 3 acts 4 November 1759, Naples, Teatro San Carlo Pietro Metastasio
1760 La buona figliuola (La Cecchina);

or: Cecchina zitella, o La buona figliuola; Cecchina nubile o La buona figliuola; La buona figliuola zitella; La buona figliuola puta; La baronessa riconosciuta; Das gute Mädchen; The Accommplish'd Maid; Der fromme Pige; La bonne fille;

 3 acts 6 February 1760, Rome, Teatro delle Dame Carlo Goldoni
1760 L'Origille spring 1760, Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini Antonio Palomba
1760 Il rè pastore 3 acts autumn 1760, Florence, Teatro della Pergola Pietro Metastasio
1760 La furba burlata;

(or: I furbi burlati) written with: Nicola Logroscino (1698-1765): summer 1762, Naples, Teatro Nuovo; with additions by: Giacomo Insanguine (1728-1795) as I furbi burlati: 1773, Naples

 3 acts autumn 1760, Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini; P. di Napoli?, after Antonio Palomba
1760 Le beffe giovevoli winter 1760, Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini  ?, after Carlo Goldoni
1761 Le vicende della sorte;

(or: Le vicende del caso ossia della sorte; Der Glueckswechsel)

 3 acts 3 January 1761, Rome, Teatro Valle Giuseppe Petrosellini, after I Portentosi effetti della madre natura by Carlo Goldoni
1761 La schiavitù per amore Carnival 1761, Rome
1761 Olimpiade 1e version: Carnival 1761, Rome, Teatro delle Dame;

2nd version: 1768, Rome, Teatro Argentina; revised 2nd version: 30 May 1774, Naples, Teatro San Carlo

 Pietro Metastasio
1761 Tigrane;

(or: Farnaspe)

 3 acts Carnival 1761, Turin, Teatro Regio Vittorio Amedeo Cigna-Santi, after Carlo Goldoni's revision of the drama by Francesco Silvani
1761 Demofoonte 3 acts May 1761, Reggio Emilia, Teatro moderno Pietro Metastasio
1761 La buona figliuola maritata;

(or: La baronessa riconosciuta e maritata; Cecchina maritata)

 3 acts May 1761, Bologna, Teatro Formagliari Carlo Goldoni
1761 Il curioso imprudente;

revised version of Il curioso del suo proprio danno; (with: Antonio Sacchini)

 3 acts autumn 1761, Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini Antonio Palomba, after El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
1761 Lo stravagante 3 acts autumn 1761, Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini Antonio Villani
1761 L'astuto balordo winter 1761, Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini Giovanni Battista Fagiuoli
1761-1762 L'astrologa 3 acts Carnival 1761/1762, Venice, Teatro Moisè Pietro Chiari
1762 Amor senza malizia 1762, Nuremberg, Hoftheater Thurn und Taxis
1762 Artaserse 3 acts 3 February 1762, Rome, Teatro Argentina;

revised version: 4 November 1768 en 1772, Naples, Teatro San Carlo

 Pietro Metastasio
1762 Le avventure di Ridolfo Carnival 1762, Bologna, Teatro Marsigli-Rossi
1762 La bella verità 3 acts 12 June 1762, Bologna, Teatro Marsigli-Rossi Carlo Goldoni
1762 Antigono 3 acts 4 November 1762, Naples, Teatro Nuovo Pietro Metastasio
1762 Il cavaliere per amore;

(or: Il fumo villano) (in collaboration with: Ottani)

 2 acts winter 1762, Naples, Teatro Nuovo, (of: Carnival 1763, Rome, Teatro Valle Giuseppe Petrosellini
1763 Le donne vendicate;

(or: Il vago disprezzato; Le fat méprisé)

 2 acts Carnival 1763, Rome, Teatro Valle after Carlo Goldini
1763 Le contadine bizzarre;

(or: La sciocchezza in amore; Le contadine astute; Le villanelle astute)

 3 acts February 1763, Rome, Teatro Capranica, (or: autumn 1763, Venice, Teatro San Samuele
1764 Gli stravaganti, ossia La schiava riconosciuta;

(or: La schiava; Gli stravaganti, ossia I matrimoni alla moda; L'esclave ou Le marin généreux; Die Ausschweifenden) (with additions by: Joseph Haydn)

 2 acts 1 January 1764, Rome, Teatro Valle
1764 La villeggiatura;

(revised version of Le donne vendicate)

 3 acts Carnival 1764, Bologna, Teatro Formagliari after Carlo Goldoni
1764 Il parrucchiere Carnival 1764, Rome, Teatro Valle
1764 L'incognita perseguitata;

(with additions by: Joseph Haydn)

 3 acts Carnival 1764, Venice, Teatro San Samuele Giuseppe Petrosellini
1764 L'equivoco 3 acts summer 1764, Naples, Teatro Fiorentini Liviano Lantino and Antonio Villani
1764 La donna vana 3 acts November 1764, Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini Antonio Palomba
1764 Il nuovo Orlando 26 December 1764, Modena, Teatro Rangoni after Ludovico Ariosto
1764-1765 Il barone di Torreforte 2 acts 10 January 1765, Rome, Teatro Capranica
1765 Il finto astrologo 7 February 1765, Rome, Teatro Valle after Carlo Goldini
1765 L'orfana insidiata;

(with additions by: Gennaro Astarita (1745-1803))

 summer 1765, Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini
1766 La Pescatrici ovvero L'Erede riconosciuta;

(or: La pescatrice innocente)

 2 acts 9 January 1766, Rome, Teatro Capranica after Carlo Goldini
1766 La baronessa di Montecupo 27 January 1766, Rome, Teatro Capranica
1766 L'incostante;

(or: Il volubile; La capricciosa)

 2 acts February 1766, Rome, Teatro Capranica Antonio Palomba
1766 La fiammetta generosa;

(with: Pasquale Anfossi (1727-1797))

 3 acts Carnival 1766, Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini
1766 La molinarella;

(or: Il cavaliere Ergasto; La molinara)

 3 acts autumn 1766, Naples, Teatro Nuovo
1766 Il gran Cid;

(or: Il Cid)

 3 acts 4 November 1766, Naples, Teatro San Carlo G. Pizzi
1766-1767 La francese maligna 1766/1767, Naples of 1769, Rome
1767 La notte critica 3 acts Carnival 1767, Lisbon, Teatro Salvaterra Carlo Goldoni
1767 La finta baronessa summer 1767, Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini Filippo Livigni
1767 Mazzina, Acetone e Dindimento c. 1767?, Naples?
1767 La direttrice prudente;

(or: La prudente ingegnosa)

 3 acts autumn 1767
1768 Gli napoletani in America 3 acts 10 June 1768, Naples, Teatro dei Fiorenti Francesco Cerlone
1768 La locandiera di spirito 3 acts autumn 1768, Naples, Teatro Nuovo
1768-1769 Lo sposo burlato 2 acts 5 January 1769, Rome, Teatro Valle Giovanni Battista Casti
1768-1769 L'innocenza riconosciuta 11 January 1769, Senigallia
1769 La finta ciarlatana ossia Il vecchio credulo Carnival 1769, Naples, Teatro Nuovo
1769 Demetrio 30 May 1769, Naples, Teatro San Carlo Pietro Metastasio
1769 Gli sposi perseguitati
1769-1770 Didone abbandonata 3 acts 8 January 1770, Rome, Teatro Argentina Pietro Metastasio
1769-1770 Cesare in Egitto;

(or: Cesare e Cleopatra)

 3 acts January 1770, Milan, Teatro Ducale Giacomo Francesco Bussani
1770 La donna di spirito 13 February 1770, Rome, Teatro Capranica
1770 Il regno della luna, (or: Il mondo della luna) spring 1770, Milaan, Teatro ducale
1770 Gelosia per gelosia summer 1770, Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini Giovanni Battista Lorenzi
1770 Don Chisciotte 1770, Naples? Giovanni Battista Lorenzi, after Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
1770 Il finto pazzo per amore 1770, Naples?
1770 Catone in Utica 3 acts 5 November 1770, Mannheim, Hoftheater Pietro Metastasio
1770 L'olandese in Italia autumn 1770, Milan, Teatro Ducale Niccolò Tassi
1771 Antigono Carnival 1771, Rome
1771 La donna di bell'umore 15 May 1771, Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini
1771 La corsara 3 acts autumn 1771, Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini Giovanni Battista Lorenzi
1771-1772 Le finte Gemelle;

(or: Le due finte gemelle; Le germane in equivoco)

 2 of 3 acts 2 January 1771, Rome, Teatro Valle Giuseppe Petrosellini
1772 L'americano;

(or: L'americano incivilito; L'americano ingentilito)

 2 acts 22 February 1772, Rome, Teatro Caprnica
1772 L'astratto, ovvero Il giocator fortunato;

(or: Il giocator fanatico per il lotto) (with additions by: Joseph Haydn)

 3 acts Carnival 1772, Venice, Teatro San Samuele Giuseppe Petrosellini
1772 Le trame zingaresche summer 1772, Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini Giovanni Battista Lorenzi
1772 Ipermestra 3 acts 4 November 1772, Naples, Teatro San Carlo Pietro Metastasio
1772 Scipione in Cartagena 3 acts 26 December 1772? Modena, Teatro di Corte Luigi Giusti (or: Alvise Giusti?)
1772-1773 La sposa collerica 9 January 1773, Rome, Teatro Valle
1773 Le quattro nazioni o La vedova scaltra 1773, Rome? after Carlo Goldoni's comedy
1773 Il vagabondo fortunato autumn 1773, Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini Pasquale Mililotti
1774 Gli amanti mascherati 1774, Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini
1775 Il conclave del MDCCLXXIV Carnival 1775, Rome, Teatro delle Dame after Pietro Metastasio
1775 L'ignorante astuto 3 acts Carnival 1775, Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini Pasquale Mililotti
1775 Enea in Cuma spring 1775, Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini Pasquale Mililotti
1775 Il sordo 1775, Naples
1775 I viaggiatori autumn 1775, Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini Pasquale Mililotti?, after Carlo Goldoni
1775 La contessina 3 acts autumn 1775, Verona, Teatro Filarmonico Marco Coltellini, after Carlo Goldoni
1776 Radamisto 3 acts 1776, Naples Antonio Marchi
1777 Vittorina 16 December 1777, London, King's Theatre Carlo Goldoni
1778 Roland 3 acts 27 January 1778, Paris, Académie Royale Jean-François Marmontel, after Philippe Quinault
1778 Phaon 2 acts September 1778, Choisy-le-Roi, Hoftheater Claude-Henri Watelet
1779 Il vago disprezzato (or: Le fat méprisé) 16 May 1779, Paris, Académie Royale
1780 Atys 3 acts 22 February 1780, Paris, Académie Royale Jean-François Marmontel, after Philippe Quinault
1781 Iphigénie en Tauride 4 acts 23 January 1781, Paris, Académie Royale Alphonse du Congé-Dubreuil
1781 Adèle de Ponthieu 3 acts 27 October 1781, Paris, Académie Royale Jean-Paul-André des Rasins de Saint-Marc
1782 Didon 3 acts 16 October 1783, Fontainebleau Jean-François Marmontel
1783 Le dormeur éveillé 2 acts 14 November 1783, Paris, Comédie Italienne Jean-François Marmontel
1783 Le faux Lord 2 acts 6 December 1783, Versailles Giuseppe M. Piccinni
1784 Diane et Endymion 3 acts 7 September 1784, Paris, Académie Royale Jean-François Espic Chevalier de Liroux
1784 Lucette 30 December 1784, Parijs, Comédie Italienne Giuseppe M. Piccinni
1785 Pénélope 3 acts 2 November 1785, Fontainebleau, Hoftheater;

2nd version: 16 October 1787, Paris, Académie Royale

 Jean-François Marmontel
1786-1787 Adèle de Ponthieu, 2nd version 3 acts unperformed
1787 Clytemnestre unperformed L. G. Pitra
1792 La serva onorata Carnival? 1792, Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini Giovanni Battista Lorenzi, after «Le nozze di Figaro» by Lorenzo da Ponte
1793 Le trame in maschera Carnival 1793, Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini
1793 Ercole al Termedonte, (or: La disfatta delle Amazzoni) 2 acts 12 January 1793, Naples, Teatro San Carlo Antonio Simone Sografi
1793 La Griselda 2 acts 8 October 1793, Venice, Teatro San Samuele Angelo Anelli
1793-1794 Il servo padrone, ossia L'amor perfetto 2 acts 17 January 1794, Venice, Teatro San Samuele Caternio Mazzolà

[edit] Scores

[edit] Sources

[edit] References

  1. ^ Holmes

[edit] See also