Alfredo Catalani (19 June 1854 – 7 August 1893) was an Italian operatic composer. He is best remembered for his operas Loreley (1890) and La Wally (1892). La Wally was composed to a libretto by Luigi Illica, and features Catalani's most famous aria "Ebben? Ne andrò lontana." This aria, sung by American soprano Wilhelmenia Fernandez, was at the heart of Jean-Jacques Beineix's 1981 film Diva. Catalani's other operas were much less successful.
Born in Lucca, Catalani came from a musical family. He was trained at the Milan Conservatory, where his teachers included Antonio Bazzini. Despite the growing influence of the verismo style of opera during the 1880s and early 1890s, Catalani chose to compose in a more traditional manner, which had traces of Wagner in it. As a result, his operas (La Wally excepted) have largely lost their place in the modern repertoire, even compared to those of Massenet and Puccini, whose style his own periodically resembles. (Catalani much resented Puccini's emergence and even accused Puccini, falsely, of plagiarism.)
The influence of Amilcare Ponchielli can also be recognized in Catalani's output. Catalani's reputation, like Ponchielli's, now rests almost entirely on one work. However, while La Wally enjoys occasional revivals, Ponchielli's La Gioconda has always been the more popular opera of the two (287 performances, most recently in 2008 at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, as opposed to only four for La Wally, not produced there since 1909).
In 1893, upon his premature death from tuberculosis in Milan, Catalani was interred in the Cimitero Monumentale, where Ponchielli and conductor Arturo Toscanini also lie. A passionate admirer of Catalani's music, Toscanini even named one of his daughters Wally. Toscanini recorded the prelude to Act IV of La Wally and the "Dance of the Water Nymphs" from Loreley in Carnegie Hall in August 1952 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra for RCA Victor.
Almost 90 years after his death, in 1981, his work was highlighted by the release of Diva, a thriller directed by Jean-Jacques Beineix which employed the aria from La Wally.
Operas
La falce ("The Sickle"), Milan, 19 July 1875
Elda, Turin, 31 January 1880 (radically revised as Loreley)
Sinfonia a piena orchestra ("Symphony for Full Orchestra"), 1872
Il Mattino, sinfonia romantica ("Morning", Romantic symphony), 1874
Ero e Leandro, poema sinfonico ("Hero and Leander", Symphonic tone poem), Milan, 9 May 1885
References
Further reading
Berrong, Richard M. (editor and translator). The Politics of Opera in Turn-Of-The-Century Italy: As Seen Through the Letters of Alfredo Catalani. 1992. (Studies in the History and Interpretation of Music)
Pardini, Domenico Luigi, Relton, Valentina (translator), Chandler, David (editor), Alfredo Catalani: Composer of Lucca, 2010.
Paolo Petronio, Alfredo Catalani, (in Italian language), coll. "Personaggi della Musica" 14, pagine VII+536, ill., Zecchini Editore, Varese, 2014.
Paolo Petronio, Alfredo Catalani, musical biography, Ed.Italo Svevo, Trieste,2009
Wilhelmenia Wiggins Fernandez sings aria from "La Wally" in "Diva" (1981) on YouTube
March 07, 2023
alfredo, catalani, june, 1854, august, 1893, italian, operatic, composer, best, remembered, operas, loreley, 1890, wally, 1892, wally, composed, libretto, luigi, illica, features, catalani, most, famous, aria, ebben, andrò, lontana, this, aria, sung, american,. Alfredo Catalani 19 June 1854 7 August 1893 was an Italian operatic composer He is best remembered for his operas Loreley 1890 and La Wally 1892 La Wally was composed to a libretto by Luigi Illica and features Catalani s most famous aria Ebben Ne andro lontana This aria sung by American soprano Wilhelmenia Fernandez was at the heart of Jean Jacques Beineix s 1981 film Diva Catalani s other operas were much less successful Alfredo Catalani Contents 1 Life and career 2 Operas 3 Symphonic works 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksLife and career Edit Born in Lucca Catalani came from a musical family He was trained at the Milan Conservatory where his teachers included Antonio Bazzini Despite the growing influence of the verismo style of opera during the 1880s and early 1890s Catalani chose to compose in a more traditional manner which had traces of Wagner in it As a result his operas La Wally excepted have largely lost their place in the modern repertoire even compared to those of Massenet and Puccini whose style his own periodically resembles Catalani much resented Puccini s emergence and even accused Puccini falsely of plagiarism The influence of Amilcare Ponchielli can also be recognized in Catalani s output Catalani s reputation like Ponchielli s now rests almost entirely on one work However while La Wally enjoys occasional revivals Ponchielli s La Gioconda has always been the more popular opera of the two 287 performances most recently in 2008 at the Metropolitan Opera New York as opposed to only four for La Wally not produced there since 1909 In 1893 upon his premature death from tuberculosis in Milan Catalani was interred in the Cimitero Monumentale where Ponchielli and conductor Arturo Toscanini also lie A passionate admirer of Catalani s music Toscanini even named one of his daughters Wally Toscanini recorded the prelude to Act IV of La Wally and the Dance of the Water Nymphs from Loreley in Carnegie Hall in August 1952 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra for RCA Victor Almost 90 years after his death in 1981 his work was highlighted by the release of Diva a thriller directed by Jean Jacques Beineix which employed the aria from La Wally Operas EditLa falce The Sickle Milan 19 July 1875 Elda Turin 31 January 1880 radically revised as Loreley Dejanice Milan 17 March 1883 Edmea Milan 27 February 1886 Loreley Turin 16 February 1890 La Wally Milan 20 January 1892Symphonic works EditSinfonia a piena orchestra Symphony for Full Orchestra 1872 Il Mattino sinfonia romantica Morning Romantic symphony 1874 Ero e Leandro poema sinfonico Hero and Leander Symphonic tone poem Milan 9 May 1885References EditFurther reading EditBerrong Richard M editor and translator The Politics of Opera in Turn Of The Century Italy As Seen Through the Letters of Alfredo Catalani 1992 Studies in the History and Interpretation of Music Pardini Domenico Luigi Relton Valentina translator Chandler David editor Alfredo Catalani Composer of Lucca 2010 Paolo Petronio Alfredo Catalani in Italian language coll Personaggi della Musica 14 pagine VII 536 ill Zecchini Editore Varese 2014 External links EditOpera Italiana Detailed biography Free scores by Alfredo Catalani at the International Music Score Library Project IMSLP Paolo Petronio Alfredo Catalani musical biography Ed Italo Svevo Trieste 2009 Wilhelmenia Wiggins Fernandez sings aria from La Wally in Diva 1981 on YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alfredo Catalani amp oldid 1133154042, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
