Giacomo Cordella
Giacomo Cordella (Naples, July 25, 1786 – Naples, May 8, 1847) was an Italian composer.
Biography
Cordella studied in Naples with Fedele Fenaroli and Giovanni Paisiello.[1][2] In 1804 he composed his first work, a cantata entitled La Vittoria dell'Arca contro Gerico.[1][3] With the help of Paisiello in 1805 he had the possibility to produce in Venice his first opera, Il ciarlatano, which was appreciated for its comic verve[1] and then performed in other cities in northern Italy, including Milan, Turin and Padua.[1][2]
Cordella continued his activity mainly in Naples, where he was appreciated for his opere buffe, while his few opere serie met with failures. His greatest success was Una follia,[2] first performed in 1813, an opera buffa featuring «a vivacious plot and a melody that flows agreeably».[3] Cordella composed also sacred music.
Works
Operas
| Title | Genre | Subdivisions | Libretto | Première date | Theatre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ciarlatanoIl ciarlatano, ossia I finti savoiardi | farsa giocosa | 1 act | buonavogliaLuigi Buonavoglia | 1805-02-1111 February 1805 | Venice, Teatro San Moisè |
| albergatriceL'albergatrice scaltra | 1807-06-2727 June 1807 | Naples, Teatro San Carlo | |||
| Annibale in Capua | dramma per musica | 2 acts | sografiAntonio Simeone Sografi (attribution uncertain) | 1809-10-2121 October 1809 | Naples, Teatro San Carlo |
| isolaL'isola incantata | farsa | 1 act | 1809-07-00Summer 1809 | Naples, Teatro Nuovo | |
| folliaUna follia | commedia per musica | 2 acts | tottolaAndrea Leone Tottola | 1813-00-001813 | Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini |
| avaroL'avaro | commedia per musica | 2 acts | palombaGiuseppe Palomba | 1814-10-00Autumn 1814 | Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini |
| azzardoL'azzardo fortunato | commedia per musica | 1 act | tottolaAndrea Leone Tottola | 1815-02-00Carnival 1815 | Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini |
| rappresagliaLa rappresaglia, ovvero Amore alla prova | sterbiniCesare Sterbini | 1818-12-2626 December 1818 | Rome, Teatro Valle | ||
| contraccambioIl contraccambio | dramma giocoso | 2 acts | sterbiniCesare Sterbini | 1819-02-00Carnival 1819 | Rome, Teatro Valle |
| scaltroLo scaltro millantatore | commedia per musica | 2 acts | palombaGiuseppe Palomba | 1819-07-1616 July 1819 | Naples, Teatro Nuovo |
| sposoLo sposo di provincia | commedia per musica | 2 acts | schmidtGiovanni Schmidt | 1821-09-2929 September 1821 | Rome, Teatro Argentina |
| castelloIl castello degli invalidi | farsa | 1 act | 1823-00-001823 | Naples, Teatro Nuovo | |
| freneticoIl frenetico per amore | melodramma | 2 acts | 1824-10-00Autumn 1824 | Naples, Teatro Nuovo | |
| Alcibiade | azione eroica | 2 acts | prividaliLuigi Prividali | 1824-12-2626 December 1824 | Venice, Teatro La Fenice |
| avventurieriGli avventurieri | melodramma giocoso | 2 acts | romaniFelice Romani | 1825-09-066 September 1825 | Milan, Teatro della Canobbiana |
| bellaLa bella prigioniera | opera buffa | 2 acts | 1826-00-001826 | Naples, Teatro del Fondo | |
| maritoIl marito disperato | commedia giocosa per musica | 2 acts | passaroAndrea Passaro, after a comedy with the same title by Giovanni Battista Lorenzi | 1833-03-00Lent 1833 | Naples, Teatro del Fondo |
| dueI due furbi | commedia per musica | 2 acts | palombaGiuseppe Palomba, revision by Andrea Passaro | 1835-07-1616 July 1835 | Naples, Teatro Nuovo |
| Matilde di Lanchefort | melodramma storico | 2 acts | passaroAndrea Passaro | 1838-04-00Spring 1838 | Naples, Teatro del Fondo |
| abitatorL'abitator delle rupi | 1839-00-00 | ||||
| nozzeLe nozze campestri | dramma per musica | 1 act | schmidtGiovanni Schmidt | 1840-05-3030 May 1840 | Naples, Teatro San Carlo |
Other
- La vittoria dell'Arca contro Gerico, cantata, Naples, 1804
- Manfredi trovatore, cantata, Naples, Teatro San Carlo, 6 July 1836 (in collaboration with other composers)
- Il dono a Partenope, cantata, libretto by Giovanni Schmidt, Naples, Teatro San Carlo, 30 May 1840 (in collaboration with other composers)
Cordella composed many other works, including masses, motets and works for small ensembles.
References
Notes
Sources
- Fétis, François-Joseph, ed. (1866). "CORDELLA (Jacques)". Biographie universelle des musiciens et bibliographie générale de la musique (in French) 2. Paris: Firmin-Didot. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
- Cruciani, Alessandra (1983). "CORDELLA, Giacomo". Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani (in Italian) 28. Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
- Libby, Dennis (1992). "Cordella, Giacomo". In Sadie, Stanley. The New Grove Dictionary of Opera 1. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-522186-2.
- Libby, Dennis; Beghelli, Marco (2001). "Cordella, Giacomo". The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.