Raffaello de Banfield (2 June 1922 – 7 January 2008), also known as Raphael Douglas, Baron von Banfield Tripcovich, was a British-born Italian composer.
Raffaello de Banfield was the son of Austro-Hungarian flying ace Gottfried von Banfield (last surviving Knight of the Military Order of Maria Theresa) and the Countess Maria Tripcovich[1] (originating from Trieste), who acquired a permanent residence in England in 1920. He was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
He was married to Maria delle Grazie dei Conti dei Brandolini d'Adda (1923-2017) on 27 December 1976. The marriage remained childless; Brandolini d'Adda had three children from her first marriage to Count Leonardo Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga.
Lifeedit
Raffaello de Banfield attended the Swiss International "Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz", the "Dante Alighieri" Lyceum in Trieste, the University of Bologna and the Benedetto Marcello Conservatory in Venice led by Gian Francesco Malipiero. He studied composition from 1946 to 1949 at the National Conservatory (under the direction of Henri Busser) with Nadia Boulanger in Paris. In these years he met Herbert von Karajan with whom he had a lifelong friendship, and also with artists such as Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau and Francis Poulenc. In the United States, he belonged to the intellectual circle surrounding the writer and composer Paul Bowles, through which he met Tennessee Williams and Leonard Bernstein. In 1949 through the painter Leonor Fini he was introduced to the choreographer and ballet dancer Roland Petit; out of this grew the ballet Le combat ("The Duel"), which had its first original production in London in 1949. This piece, based upon the Tancred and Clorinda episode in Torquato Tasso's poem Gerusalemme liberata, was performed 39 times at the Vienna State Opera in the choreography of Dimitrije Parlic between 1959 and 1973. Until 1958 he spent time between Paris and New York and maintained a friendship also with Maria Callas. After years abroad in Italy, France, England and the United States, where he lived for more than ten years, he was from 1972 to 1996 Director of the Giuseppe Verdi Theatre in Trieste and he comprehensively renovated and modernised the Opera House. From 1978 to 1986 he was Director of the "Festival dei due mondi" ("Festival of the two worlds") in Spoleto, Italy.
He became famous for his compositions, which were performed worldwide and received countless honours and recognitions, such as the Italian "Grand Ufficiale"; in 1994, through François Mitterrand, he became a Knight of the Legion of Honour.[citation needed] He died at his home near the so-called "Rive" in Trieste, Italy.
Selected worksedit
Le combat, ballet, Original production 1949 in London.
Acostino, ballet based on a story by Alberto Moravia, Original production 1958 in Genoa.
Colloquio col Tango ossìa La Formica ("Conversation with the Tango or The Ant" by C. Terron), Opera in One Act. Original production September 1959 in Como[2]
Alissa, Opera in One Act with Four Scenes. Libretto by R. Miller. Original production March 1965 in Geneva[3]
Serale, (after poem of Rainer Maria Rilke), lyric work for soprano and large orchestra, 1968.
Liebeslied, (after poem of Rilke), lyric work for soprano and large orchestra, 1968.
Der Tod der Geliebten (The death of the beloved), (after poem of Rilke), lyric work for soprano and large orchestra, 1972.
Der Sturm (The storm) (after poem of Rilke), lyric work for soprano and large orchestra, 1972.
For Ophelia, concert piece for soprano and orchestra, Original production c1976 in London (Kiri te Kanawa, John Pritchard).
Vier Rilke Lieder (Four songs of Rilke) for soprano and orchestra, original presentation 1986 in Brussels.
Referencesedit
^Countess Tripcovich died in 1976. cf Osborne 1998, 184–5 & Pl 18.
^"Description Page for Colloquio" (in Italian). Casa Ricordi. Retrieved 11 July 2008.
^"Description Page for Alissa" (in Italian). Casa Ricordi. Retrieved 11 July 2008.
Further readingedit
Richard Osborne, Herbert von Karajan. A Life in Music (Chatto & Windus, London 1998). (Many refs, and photo Pl. 19).
NY Times: "Opera 'Lord Byron' and 'Renard' at Festival", 26 May 1986 [4]
November 10, 2023
raffaello, banfield, june, 1922, january, 2008, also, known, raphael, douglas, baron, banfield, tripcovich, british, born, italian, composer, born, 1922, june, 1922newcastle, upon, tyne, englanddied7, january, 2008, 2008, aged, trieste, italyother, namesraphae. Raffaello de Banfield 2 June 1922 7 January 2008 also known as Raphael Douglas Baron von Banfield Tripcovich was a British born Italian composer Raffaello de BanfieldBorn 1922 06 02 2 June 1922Newcastle upon Tyne EnglandDied7 January 2008 2008 01 07 aged 85 Trieste ItalyOther namesRaphael Douglas Baron von Banfield TripcovichEducation Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz Dante Alighieri Lyceum TriesteAlma materUniversity of BolognaBenedetto Marcello Conservatory VeniceOccupationComposerNotable workSee Selected worksSpouseCountess Maria delle Grazie Brandolini d AddaParentsGottfried von BanfieldCountess Maria TripcovichAwardsGrand Ufficiale Italy Grand Cavalier of the Legion d Honneur France Contents 1 Family 2 Life 3 Selected works 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksFamily editRaffaello de Banfield was the son of Austro Hungarian flying ace Gottfried von Banfield last surviving Knight of the Military Order of Maria Theresa and the Countess Maria Tripcovich 1 originating from Trieste who acquired a permanent residence in England in 1920 He was born in Newcastle upon Tyne He was married to Maria delle Grazie dei Conti dei Brandolini d Adda 1923 2017 on 27 December 1976 The marriage remained childless Brandolini d Adda had three children from her first marriage to Count Leonardo Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga Life editRaffaello de Banfield attended the Swiss International Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz the Dante Alighieri Lyceum in Trieste the University of Bologna and the Benedetto Marcello Conservatory in Venice led by Gian Francesco Malipiero He studied composition from 1946 to 1949 at the National Conservatory under the direction of Henri Busser with Nadia Boulanger in Paris In these years he met Herbert von Karajan with whom he had a lifelong friendship and also with artists such as Pablo Picasso Jean Cocteau and Francis Poulenc In the United States he belonged to the intellectual circle surrounding the writer and composer Paul Bowles through which he met Tennessee Williams and Leonard Bernstein In 1949 through the painter Leonor Fini he was introduced to the choreographer and ballet dancer Roland Petit out of this grew the ballet Le combat The Duel which had its first original production in London in 1949 This piece based upon the Tancred and Clorinda episode in Torquato Tasso s poem Gerusalemme liberata was performed 39 times at the Vienna State Opera in the choreography of Dimitrije Parlic between 1959 and 1973 Until 1958 he spent time between Paris and New York and maintained a friendship also with Maria Callas After years abroad in Italy France England and the United States where he lived for more than ten years he was from 1972 to 1996 Director of the Giuseppe Verdi Theatre in Trieste and he comprehensively renovated and modernised the Opera House From 1978 to 1986 he was Director of the Festival dei due mondi Festival of the two worlds in Spoleto Italy He became famous for his compositions which were performed worldwide and received countless honours and recognitions such as the Italian Grand Ufficiale in 1994 through Francois Mitterrand he became a Knight of the Legion of Honour citation needed He died at his home near the so called Rive in Trieste Italy Selected works editLe combat ballet Original production 1949 in London Theatre Music for Much Ado About Nothing 1953 Una lettera d amore di Lord Byron Lord Byron s Love Letter by Tennessee Williams Original production 1955 in New Orleans with Astrid Varnay and Patricia Neway Quatuor ballet 1957 Acostino ballet based on a story by Alberto Moravia Original production 1958 in Genoa Colloquio col Tango ossia La Formica Conversation with the Tango or The Ant by C Terron Opera in One Act Original production September 1959 in Como 2 Alissa Opera in One Act with Four Scenes Libretto by R Miller Original production March 1965 in Geneva 3 Serale after poem of Rainer Maria Rilke lyric work for soprano and large orchestra 1968 Liebeslied after poem of Rilke lyric work for soprano and large orchestra 1968 Der Tod der Geliebten The death of the beloved after poem of Rilke lyric work for soprano and large orchestra 1972 Der Sturm The storm after poem of Rilke lyric work for soprano and large orchestra 1972 For Ophelia concert piece for soprano and orchestra Original production c1976 in London Kiri te Kanawa John Pritchard Vier Rilke Lieder Four songs of Rilke for soprano and orchestra original presentation 1986 in Brussels References edit Countess Tripcovich died in 1976 cf Osborne 1998 184 5 amp Pl 18 Description Page for Colloquio in Italian Casa Ricordi Retrieved 11 July 2008 Description Page for Alissa in Italian Casa Ricordi Retrieved 11 July 2008 Further reading editRichard Osborne Herbert von Karajan A Life in Music Chatto amp Windus London 1998 Many refs and photo Pl 19 External links editBiography of Raffaello de Banfield Italian 1 Report of demise Italian Il Piccolo 2 Biography English 3 Composer Raffello de Banfield is dead Wiener Zeitung Archived 11 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine NY Times Opera Lord Byron and Renard at Festival 26 May 1986 4 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Raffaello de Banfield amp oldid 1140285126, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
