Giorgio Miceli

Giorgio Miceli
Born October 21, 1836
Reggio Calabria, Italy
Died 1895
Occupation Composer

Giorgio Miceli (21 October 1836 in Reggio Calabria – 1895, Italy) was an Italian opera composer who played mandolin and wrote music for the instrument.[1]

He was the composer for the operetta Zoe and for the music A Grand Serenade for Mandolin Band.[1] He wrote other works for both the mandolin and the guitar, as well as for other instruments.[1]

His son Giuseppe Miceli was also a successful performer and composer for the mandolin, including Danza Zingaresca for mandolin with piano accompaniment.[1]

Family history

Giorgio Miceli was a son of well-off parents, who participated in the Italian revolution of 1847.[1] His father was sentenced to row in the galleys as punishment, and Giorgio was sent to Naples.[1] He had begun to learn mandolin from his uncle when he was seven-years old, and in Naples, he continued to study music under Gallo and under Giuseppe Lillo at the Naples Conservatory.[1]

His operetta Zoe, performed in 1852, was his first; he was only 16.[1] Zoe was given in 40 performances, and he had a second opera the next year which performed similarly.[1] His plays were banned by the Naples authorities and he became a teacher.[1] He continued to play, entering musical competitions in Naples and Florence.[1] His work A Grand Serenade for Mandolin Band, done for the Maritime Exhibition in Naples did well, and he was knighted as a result in 1875.[1]

Operas

The 1910 book Dictionary-Catalogue of Operas and Operettas which Have Been Performed on the Public Stage: Libretti listed Miceli and some of his works:[2]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 Philip James Bone The Guitar and Mandolin – Biographies of Celebrated Players and Composers for these Instruments, London: Schott, 1914, pp. 207-208.
  2. ↑ Dictionary-catalogue of Operas and Operettas which Have Been Performed on the Public Stage: Libretti. Acme Publishing Companys. Retrieved 2014-07-09.