Felice Alessandri

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Felice Alessandri

Felice Alessandri (born November 24, 1747 in Rome or San Damaso near Modena , † August 15, 1798 in Casinalbo near Modena) was an Italian harpsichordist and opera composer . He worked internationally and worked in various Italian cities as well as in Paris, London, Saint Petersburg and Berlin.

Due to the similarity of names, it is sometimes confused with the composer Alessandro Felici . It is reported that in 1773 he performed the opera L'amore soldato, actually by Felici, in Dresden.

Life

After Alessandri's training in Naples, his first major work was performed in Rome as early as 1765, the oratorio Il Tobia. In the following years he worked as a harpsichordist and conductor in Turin and at the Concert spirituel in Paris. He then went to Verona and Venice, where his first operas Ezio and Il matrimonio per concorso were performed for the carnival season in 1767 .

Alessandri was married to the buffa singer Maria Lavinia Guadagni (1735 - around 1790), the sister of the castrato Gaetano Guadagni . In the fall of 1767 both were employed at the King's Theater on Haymarket in London. For this theater Alessandri composed the operas La moglie fedele (1768) and Il re alla caccia (1769). He also arranged and conducted operas by Baldassare Galuppi and Niccolò Piccinni and performed as a harpsichord virtuoso. During this time, his opera L'argentino was performed at the Burgtheater in Vienna.

In the period from 1773 to April 1775, Alessandri stayed mainly in Turin, where three of his operas were performed. In the summer of 1776 he received an invitation from Joseph Legros to take over the direction of the Concert spirituel in Paris with him. He accepted this in 1777 and lived in the Legros' house until 1778.

He then returned to Italy, where other operas were performed in various cities and received great applause. Particularly noteworthy are the performance of Calliroe in December 1778 and the Venere ballet in Cipro in January 1779 for the reopening season of La Scala in Milan . In 1783 his cantata Le virtù rivali was performed in Padua in honor of the departed Vice-Governor ("Capitanio, e vice Podestà") Alvise Mocenigo. This was one of the last appearances of his brother-in-law Gaetano Guadagni.

From 1786 to May 1789 Alessandri lived in Saint Petersburg, where he hoped in vain to get a job as a composer at the Russian court. However, he was only hired as a singing teacher by a noble family.

In autumn 1789, with the support of the prima donna Luisa Todi and the court poet Antonio de 'Filistri da Caramondani, he received a position as second conductor at the Berlin Court Opera . There he composed several operas, of which only the first ( Il ritorno di Ulysse a Penelope from 1790) was successful. His employer Friedrich Wilhelm II was dissatisfied with his second opera, L'ouverture du grand opéra italien à Nankin . In addition, there were disputes and rivalries with his colleagues, especially the conductor Johann Friedrich Reichardt . After further failures, the king finally withdrew the commission for the planned opera Alboino and dismissed Alessandri on July 4, 1792.

In the autumn of 1792 Alessandri returned to Italy. He lived in Bologna for a short time. In 1793 his opera Virginia was performed in Venice . In 1794 he traveled to Vienna and Berlin in search of commissions. That year Zemira and Armida were received with great applause in Padua. On February 16, 1796 he was made an honorary member of the Accademia Filarmonica Modenese. Shortly before his death, his last opera was performed in Modena, but the title has not been passed down.

Effect and style

Some of his operas combine elements of the French and Italian styles. In the magical opera Alcina e Ruggero (Turin 1775) there are dances, choirs and an early example of an “ensemble finale” that carries a plot. The opera Calliroe , written for La Scala in Milan in 1778, contains many choirs and pantomimes as well as complex sequences of scenes and ensembles. There are also inter-act ballets, the content of which relates to the operatic plot. His later works also reflect this changed taste of the time. The content is becoming increasingly violent. So it was now possible for a father to kill his own daughter in Virginia to protect her from a tyrant.

Alessandri's buffo operas have semi-serious character traits. Much of his fame in northern Italy is due to these works, such as v. a. La finta principessa and Il vecchio geloso , which were performed in many cities.

His music contains more chromatic and harmonic effects than that of many of his contemporaries. The orchestral language is also extremely varied. On the other hand, his works appear “conventional”. Occasionally, allegations of plagiarism were also raised. Its melody is described as simple and pleasing.

Works

Operas

Ezio - title page of the libretto, Milan 1782
  • Ezio , dramma per musica in three acts; Libretto: Pietro Metastasio ; Carnival 1767, Verona, Teatro Filarmonico ; revised (new introduction, ensemble and choral movements) Carnival 1782, Milan, Teatro alla Scala ; Autumn 1782, Lucca; October 28, 1783, Florence, Teatro della Pergola
  • Il matrimonio per concorso, dramma giocoso in three acts; Libretto: Gaetano Martinelli after Carlo Goldoni ; Carnival 1767, Venice, Teatro San Moisè ; May 19, 1767, Florence, Teatro Cocomero; Spring 1770, Pavia, Teatro Omodeo; Autumn 1773, Lisbon, Teatro Condes
  • Gli amanti ridicoli, comic opera; together with Baldassare Galuppi ; Libretto: Antonio Galuppi and Giovan Gualberto Bottarelli ; 1768, London, King's Theater on Haymarket ; lost
  • La moglie fedele, comic opera in two acts; Libretto: Giovan Gualberto Bottarelli; February 27, 1768, London, King's Theater on Haymarket; lost
  • L'argentino, opera buffa in two acts; Spring 1768, Vienna, Burgtheater ; lost
  • Arianna e Teseo, dramma ( pasticcio ); Libretto: Pietro Pariati and Giovan Gualberto Bottarelli; October 11, 1768, London, King's Theater on Haymarket; lost
  • Il re alla caccia, comic opera in three acts; Libretto: Carlo Goldoni; March 1, 1769, London, King's Theater on Haymarket; lost
  • Argea, dramma per musica in three acts; Libretto: Giandomenico Boggio ; December 26th 1772, Turin, Teatro Regio
  • Antigono , dramma per musica in three acts; Libretto: Pietro Metastasio; Spring 1773, Genoa, Teatro Sant'Agostino
  • Creso, dramma per musica in three acts; Libretto: Giuseppe Gioacchino Pizzi ; Spring 1774, Pavia, Teatro dei Quattro Cavalieri Associati; Carnival 1778, Mantua, Teatro Regio Ducale Vecchio
  • La cameriera per amore, dramma giocoso in two acts; Libretto: Filippo Livigni ; Autumn 1774, Turin, Teatro Carignano; Carnival 1776, Lisbon, Teatro de Salvaterra; lost
  • Medonte re d'Epiro, dramma per musica in three acts; Libretto: Giovanni De Gamerra ; December 26th 1774, Milan, Teatro Ducale. Attributed to Luigi Alessandri in the libretto, but probably by Felice Alessandri
  • Sandrina, ossia La contadina di corte, dramma giocoso in two acts; Libretto: Carlo Goldoni; 1775, Lucca, Teatro Pubblico; lost?
  • Alcina e Ruggero, dramma per musica in three acts; Libretto: Vittorio Amedeo Cigna-Santi after Ludovico Ariosto ; January 26th 1775, Turin, Teatro Regio
  • La novità, dramma giocoso in two acts; Libretto: Giovanni Bertati ; Autumn 1775, Venice, Teatro San Moisè
  • La sposa persiana, dramma giocoso in three acts; Libretto: Carlo Goldoni; Autumn 1775, Venice, Teatro San Samuele ; 1776, Dresden, Small Court Theater ; 1779, Vienna, Theater am Kärntnertor
  • Calliroe, dramma per musica in three acts; Libretto: Mattia Verazi ; December 26th 1778, Milan, Teatro alla Scala
  • Adriano in Siria , dramma per musica in three acts; Libretto: Pietro Metastasio; December 26th 1779, Venice, Teatro San Benedetto
  • Attalo re di Bitinia, dramma per musica in three acts; Libretto: Ferdinando Casorri and Antonio Salvi ; September 10, 1780, Florence, Teatro della Pergola; Carnival 1781, Livorno, Teatro
  • Erifile, dramma per musica in three acts; Libretto: Giambattista Neri or Giovanni De Gamerra; June 12th 1781, Padua, Teatro Nuovo
  • Il vecchio geloso, commedia per musica in two acts; Libretto: Giovanni Bertati; October 1, 1781, Milan, Teatro alla Scala; many other performances in Italian cities and in 1784 in Vienna and Prague
  • Arbace, dramma per musica in three acts; Libretto: Gaetano Sertor ; December 29, 1781, Rome, Teatro Argentina ; lost
  • La finta principessa, ossia Li due fratelli Pappamosca, dramma giocoso in two acts; Libretto: Filippo Livigni; Autumn 1782, Venice, Teatro San Moisè; many other performances in Italian cities as well as in Vienna in 1783 and in Lisbon in 1795; also as La finta baronessa ossia Li due fratelli ridicoli
  • I puntigli gelosi, dramma giocoso in two acts; Libretto: Filippo Livigni; Carnival 1783, Venice, Teatro San Samuele; lost
  • Demofoonte , dramma serio in three acts; Libretto: Pietro Metastasio; June 12th 1783, Padua, Teatro Nuovo
  • Artaserse , dramma per musica in three acts; Libretto: Pietro Metastasio; November 4, 1783, Naples, Teatro San Carlo
  • Il marito geloso, dramma giocoso in two acts; Libretto: Giovanni Bertati (?); Carnival 1784, Liverno, Nuovo Teatro detto dagli Armeni; lost; according to MGG 1 identical to Il vecchio geloso
  • Il regno della moda, dramma per musica (pasticcio and others with music by Domenico Cimarosa and Giovanni Paisiello ); Carnival 1790, Desenzano; lost
  • Il ritorno di Ulysse a Penelope, dramma per musica in three acts; Libretto: Antonio de 'Filistri da Caramondani ; January 25, 1790; Potsdam, Royal Theater in Sanssouci
  • L'ouverture du grand opéra italien à Nankin / La compagnia d'opera à Nanchino, opera / dramma giocoso in two acts; Libretto: Antonio de 'Filistri da Caramondani; October 16, 1790, Berlin, Small Theater (Piccolo Teatro del palazzo reale); According to MGG 1, L'ouverture du grand opéra italien à Nankin was performed in Potsdam on October 16, 1788
  • Dario, dramma per musica in three acts; Libretto: Antonio de 'Filistri da Caramondani; Carnival 1791, Berlin, Royal Theater
  • Vasco di Gama, dramma per musica in three acts (pasticcio); Libretto: Antonio de 'Filistri da Caramondani; January 20, 1792, Berlin, Royal Theater; lost
  • Virginia, dramma per musica in three acts; Libretto: Alessandro Pepoli; December 26th 1793, Venice, Teatro La Fenice
  • Zemira, dramma per musica in two acts; Libretto: Gaetano Sertor; June 12, 1794, Padua, Teatro Nuovo; lost
  • Armida, dramma per musica in two acts; Libretto: Giuseppe Maria Foppa ; July 1, 1794, Padua, Teatro Nuovo
  • I sposi burlati, opera buffa in two acts; December 26, 1798, Mantua, Nuovo Nazionale; lost

Cantatas

  • Cantata nella solenne apertura dell'Academia degli'Ingegnosi; 1770, Florence
  • Il tempio della fama; 1782, Milan
  • La virtù rivali, azioni in two parts; Libretto: Francesco Pimbiolo degli Engelfreddi ; 5th July 1783, Padua, Teatro Nuovo

Ballets

  • Venere in Cipro, scenario: Verazi (?), Choreography: G. Canziani; January 30, 1779, Milan, Teatro alla Scala; along with Pasquale Anfossi Cleopatra listed
  • L'enlèvement des Sabines; S. Gallet; October 1779, Alessandria, Città; together with Giuseppe Ferrero La disfatta di Dario listed

Oratorios

  • Il Tobia in two parts; 1765, Rome
  • Bethulia liberata ; Libretto: Pietro Metastasio; 1780, Venice; 1781, Padua; according to MGG 1 in Latin, lyricist unknown

Instrumental works

  • Six concertos for harpsichord with two violins and violoncello; 1769, London
  • Six sonatas for two violins and basso continuo (harpsichord); 1770, London; Dedicated to George Pitt
  • Six symphonies for two violins, viola, two oboes, two horns and bass, op. 6; around 1780, Paris
  • Harpsichord sonata

Web links

Commons : Felice Alessandri  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Digital copies

  1. ↑ Ezio. Libretto (Italian), Milan 1782. Digitized in the Internet Archive .
  2. ^ Il matrimonio per concorso. Libretto (Italian), Venice 1767. Digitized version of the Museo internazionale e biblioteca della musica di Bologna .
  3. ↑ Argea. Libretto (Italian), Turin 1773. Digitized in the Internet Archive .
  4. ↑ Creso. Libretto (Italian), Mantua 1778. Digitized in the Internet Archive .
  5. ↑ La cameriera per amore. Libretto (Italian), Turin 1774. Digitized version of the Museo internazionale e biblioteca della musica di Bologna .
  6. ↑ Medonte re d'Epiro. Libretto (Italian), Milan 1774. Digitized version of the Museo internazionale e biblioteca della musica di Bologna .
  7. ↑ Alcina e Ruggero. Libretto (Italian), Turin 1775. Digitized version of the Munich digitization center .
  8. ↑ La novità. Libretto (Italian), Venice 1775. Digital copy from the Museo internazionale e biblioteca della musica di Bologna .
  9. ↑ Calliroe. Libretto (Italian), Milan 1778. Digitized in the Internet Archive .
  10. ^ Attalo re di Bitinia. Libretto (Italian), Florence 1780. Digitized version of the Museo internazionale e biblioteca della musica di Bologna .
  11. ↑ Erifile. Libretto (Italian), Padua 1781. Digitized in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna .
  12. ↑ Il vecchio geloso. Libretto (Italian), Milan 1781. Digitized from the Museo internazionale e biblioteca della musica di Bologna .
  13. ↑ Arbace. Libretto (Italian), Rome 1782. Digitized version of the Museo internazionale e biblioteca della musica di Bologna .
  14. ↑ La finta principessa, ossia Li due fratelli Pappamosca. Libretto (Italian), Reggio 1786. Digitized at Google Books .
  15. ↑ I Puntigli gelosi. Libretto (Italian), Venice 1783. Digitized version of the Museo internazionale e biblioteca della musica di Bologna .
  16. ↑ Artaserse. Libretto (Italian), Naples 1783. Digitized version of the Museo internazionale e biblioteca della musica di Bologna .
  17. ↑ Il ritorno di Ulysse a Penelope. Libretto (Italian / German), Berlin 1790. Digitized version of the Berlin State Library .
  18. ↑ Dario. Libretto (Italian / German), Berlin 1791. Digitized version of the Berlin State Library .
  19. ↑ Vasco di Gama. Libretto (Italian / German), Berlin 1792. Digitized version of the Berlin State Library .
  20. ^ Virginia. Libretto (Italian), Venice 1793. Digitized in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f Silvana Simonetti, Albert Müry (transl.):  Alessandri, Felice. In: Friedrich Blume (Hrsg.): The music in past and present (MGG). First edition, Volume 15 (Supplement 1: Aachen - Dyson). Bärenreiter / Metzler, Kassel et al. 1973, DNB 550439609 , Sp. 132-134 (= Digital Library Volume 60, pp. 1834-1839).
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Sven Hansell, Marita P. McClymonds:  Alessandri, Felice. In: Grove Music Online (English; subscription required).
  3. ↑ a b Le virtù rivali. Library record in the Servizio Bibliotecario Nazionale . Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  4. ↑ Guadagni, Gaetano. In: Dizionario Biografico - Treccani. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  5. ↑ La Betulia liberata at Opening Night! Opera & Oratorio Premieres , Stanford University. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
personal data
SURNAME Alessandri, Felice
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Italian harpsichordist and opera composer
DATE OF BIRTH November 24, 1747
PLACE OF BIRTH Rome or San Damaso near Modena
DATE OF DEATH August 15, 1798
Place of death Casinalbo near Modena