Umberto Menotti Maria Giordano (28 August 1867 – 12 November 1948) was an Italian composer, mainly of operas. His best-known work in that genre was Andrea Chénier (1896).
He was born in Foggia in Apulia, southern Italy, and studied under Paolo Serrao at the Conservatoire of Naples.[1] His first opera, Marina, was written for a competition promoted by the music publishers Casa Sonzogno for the best one-act opera, remembered today because it marked the beginning of Italian verismo. The winner was Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana. Giordano, the youngest contestant, was placed sixth among seventy-three entries with his Marina, a work which generated enough interest for Sonzogno to commission the staging of an opera based on it in the 1891–92 season.[2]
The result was Mala vita, a gritty verismo opera about a labourer who vows to reform a prostitute if he is cured of his tuberculosis. This work caused something of a scandal when performed at the Teatro Argentina, Rome, in February 1892. It played successfully in Vienna, Prague and Berlin and was re-written as Il Voto a few years later, in an attempt to raise interest in the work again.[3]
Giordano then moved to Milan and returned to verismo with his best-known work, Andrea Chénier (1896), based on the life of the French poet André Chénier.[5]Fedora (1898), based on Victorien Sardou's play, featured the rising young tenor Enrico Caruso.[6] It was also a success and is still performed today. His later works are much less known, but occasionally revived and in the case of La cena delle beffe (based on the play of the same title by Sem Benelli) recognised by musicologists and critics with some respect.[7] He died in Milan at the age of 81.[8]
The most important theater in his home town of Foggia has been dedicated to Umberto Giordano. A square in Foggia is also named after him and contains several statues representing his most famous works.[9]
Operasedit
Marina (1888)
Mala vita (21 February 1892, Teatro Argentina, Rome)
Regina Diaz (5 March 1894, Teatro Mercadante, Naples)
^Amintore Galli (1892). Il Teatro illustrato e la musica popolare: Ritratti di maestri ed artisti celebri, vedute e bozzetti di scene, disegni di teatri monumentali, costumi teatrali, ornamentazioni, ecc., ecc. Vol. 12. E. Sonzogno. p. 66.
^Joe Staines (2010). Joe Staines (ed.). The Rough Guide to Classical Music. Penguin. p. 208. ISBN9781405383219.
^Burton D. Fisher (2005). Andrea Chenier (Giordano) Mini Guide. Opera Mini Guide Series. Opera Journeys Publishing. p. 21. ISBN9781930841550.
^Alfred Bates, James Penny Boyd, ed. (1909). Drama and Opera: The opera. Drama and Opera: Their History, Literature and Influence on Civilization, Athenian Society (London, England). Vol. 23–24. Athenian Society. p. 295.
^Matthew Boyden, Nick Kimberley (2002). Joe Staines (ed.). The Rough Guide to Opera (illustrated ed.). Rough Guides. p. 379. ISBN9781858287492.
^Pierre Van Rensselaer Key, Bruno Zirato (1922). Enrico Caruso: A Biography. Little, Brown. p. 99.
^Anthony (Tony) Amato (2011). The Smallest Grand Opera in the World. Universe. p. 156. ISBN9781450299176.
^Dana Facaros, Michael Pauls (2007). Bay of Naples & Southern Italy (illustrated ed.). New Holland Publishers. p. 240. ISBN9781860113499.
April 12, 2024
umberto, giordano, umberto, menotti, maria, giordano, august, 1867, november, 1948, italian, composer, mainly, operas, best, known, work, that, genre, andrea, chénier, 1896, 1896, gaetano, espositoborn, 1867, august, 1867foggia, apulia, italydied12, november, . Umberto Menotti Maria Giordano 28 August 1867 12 November 1948 was an Italian composer mainly of operas His best known work in that genre was Andrea Chenier 1896 Umberto GiordanoUmberto Giordano 1896 by Gaetano EspositoBorn 1867 08 28 28 August 1867Foggia Apulia ItalyDied12 November 1948 1948 11 13 aged 81 Milan ItalyOccupationComposerHe was born in Foggia in Apulia southern Italy and studied under Paolo Serrao at the Conservatoire of Naples 1 His first opera Marina was written for a competition promoted by the music publishers Casa Sonzogno for the best one act opera remembered today because it marked the beginning of Italian verismo The winner was Mascagni s Cavalleria rusticana Giordano the youngest contestant was placed sixth among seventy three entries with his Marina a work which generated enough interest for Sonzogno to commission the staging of an opera based on it in the 1891 92 season 2 The result was Mala vita a gritty verismo opera about a labourer who vows to reform a prostitute if he is cured of his tuberculosis This work caused something of a scandal when performed at the Teatro Argentina Rome in February 1892 It played successfully in Vienna Prague and Berlin and was re written as Il Voto a few years later in an attempt to raise interest in the work again 3 Giordano tried a more romantic topic with his next opera Regina Diaz with a libretto by Giovanni Targioni Tozzetti and Guido Menasci 1894 but this was a failure taken off the stage after just two performances 4 Umberto Giordano 1905Giordano then moved to Milan and returned to verismo with his best known work Andrea Chenier 1896 based on the life of the French poet Andre Chenier 5 Fedora 1898 based on Victorien Sardou s play featured the rising young tenor Enrico Caruso 6 It was also a success and is still performed today His later works are much less known but occasionally revived and in the case of La cena delle beffe based on the play of the same title by Sem Benelli recognised by musicologists and critics with some respect 7 He died in Milan at the age of 81 8 The most important theater in his home town of Foggia has been dedicated to Umberto Giordano A square in Foggia is also named after him and contains several statues representing his most famous works 9 Operas editMarina 1888 Mala vita 21 February 1892 Teatro Argentina Rome Regina Diaz 5 March 1894 Teatro Mercadante Naples Andrea Chenier 28 March 1896 Teatro alla Scala Milan Fedora 17 November 1898 Teatro Lirico Milan Il Voto revision of Mala Vita 6 September 1902 Teatro Bellini Naples Siberia 19 December 1903 Teatro alla Scala Milan rev 1927 Marcella 9 November 1907 Teatro Lirico Milan Mese mariano 17 March 1910 Teatro Massimo Palermo Madame Sans Gene 25 January 1915 Metropolitan Opera New York Giove a Pompei 6 July 1921 Teatro La Pariola Rome La cena delle beffe 20 December 1924 Teatro alla Scala Milan Il re 12 January 1929 Teatro alla Scala Milan La festa del Nilo incomplete References edit Amintore Galli 1892 Il Teatro illustrato e la musica popolare Ritratti di maestri ed artisti celebri vedute e bozzetti di scene disegni di teatri monumentali costumi teatrali ornamentazioni ecc ecc Vol 12 E Sonzogno p 66 Joe Staines 2010 Joe Staines ed The Rough Guide to Classical Music Penguin p 208 ISBN 9781405383219 Burton D Fisher 2005 Andrea Chenier Giordano Mini Guide Opera Mini Guide Series Opera Journeys Publishing p 21 ISBN 9781930841550 Alfred Bates James Penny Boyd ed 1909 Drama and Opera The opera Drama and Opera Their History Literature and Influence on Civilization Athenian Society London England Vol 23 24 Athenian Society p 295 Matthew Boyden Nick Kimberley 2002 Joe Staines ed The Rough Guide to Opera illustrated ed Rough Guides p 379 ISBN 9781858287492 Pierre Van Rensselaer Key Bruno Zirato 1922 Enrico Caruso A Biography Little Brown p 99 Anthony Tony Amato 2011 The Smallest Grand Opera in the World Universe p 156 ISBN 9781450299176 Alan Riding Leslie Dunton Downer 2006 Eyewitness Companions Opera Penguin p 162 ISBN 9780756643904 Dana Facaros Michael Pauls 2007 Bay of Naples amp Southern Italy illustrated ed New Holland Publishers p 240 ISBN 9781860113499 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Umberto Giordano amp oldid 1218350171, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
