Antonio Bagioli
Encyclopedia
Giuseppe Antonio Bagioli (or just Antonio Bagioli) (1795–1871) of Bologna
, Italy
and New York City
, New York
was a successful composer
, music teacher
and author, and the father of Teresa Bagioli Sickles
, wife of Dan Sickles, central figures in a notorious murder trial in 1859.
He is sometimes confused with Antonio Bagioli (1783–1855) (son of Luigi), a cousin.
, Italy, the son of Mauro Bagioli and of Puglioli Teresa (fonte:Anagrafe Napoleonica-Archivio di Stato Cesena Italy), on November 17, 1795. His mother's family was from Bologna and his father's family was from the nearby town of Cesena
, where they had been established for generations. He studied in Bologna under Padre Mattei, and then entered the conservatory of Naples
where he studied for several years under Zingarelli. He composed melodramas that represented Cesena (1815), Naples (1824) and Bologna (1826 and others), leading to a certain fame in his native land of Italy.
of Giacomo Montresor, a French tenor
. This company was the first (or second) Italian opera
company to ever visit the United States, and traveled to New York with the company. There, Bagioli called on Lorenzo Da Ponte
, the noted music teacher, who had worked as Mozart's librettist on such works as The Marriage of Figaro
, and who held the chair of Italian Literature at Columbia College (later Columbia University
). Da Ponte's son, also named Lorenzo, and sometimes called Lorenzo the Younger, was a professor at New York University
. There Bagioli met Maria (or Eliza) Cooke (1819–1894), who was the adopted and alleged "natural" child of Lorenzo Da Ponte, who would have been about 70 when he fathered her. Maria was from Croton Falls, in Westchester County, New York.
After a critically successful (but perhaps not financially successful) season the opera troupe went to Havana
, Cuba
, but Bagioli stayed in New York City, having apparently fallen in love with Maria, then still an adolescent and Da Ponte's ward. While courting Maria Cooke, Bagioli composed the score for Da Ponte's Hymn to America, with which he would later always open and close concerts. Sources place their marriage at about 1834. At about this time, Baglioli moved into the Da Ponte household and began to establish himself as a voice instructor. Their daughter, Teresa
was born in 1836, when Maria was 17. During the rest of the 1830s, Bagioli's popularity and influence as a conductor and composer, as well as a voice instructor, was on the increase. His American students became well known performers, and Bagioli has been credited by some with spreading the popularity of Italian song and opera throughout America. He continued to work as an orchestral conductor as well.
(b 1819), a future Union general, who, at the behest of his parents George Garret Sickles and Susan Marsh Sickles, (who felt him to be " sufficiently unsettled and in need of special tutoring"), and owing in part to his friendship with Lorenzo the Younger a New York University
professor, moved in to the house on Spring Street, ostensibly to study foreign languages. While boarding, Sickles made the acquaintance of Maria, the same age as he, and her daughter Teresa, who was 3 at the time. Later, as Sickles rose in prominence, rumours persistently circulated that Sickles had seduced Maria Cooke Bagioli. Whether that was true or not, Sickles did become friends with the family as part of his boarding experience, and was involved in the upbringing of Teresa, although he left after about a year when his mentor suddenly died. Sickles however maintained close ties with the family, possibly to continue the study of French
and Italian
.
Though Sickles possibly had known Teresa since her infancy, he made her acquaintance again in 1851, this time as an Assemblyman (and part of the Tammany Hall
Democratic machine). He was thirty-three years old, she was fifteen. Sickles was quite taken with Teresa and soon proposed marriage. Despite his prominence and long connection to the family, the Bagiolis refused to consent to the marriage. Undeterred, the couple wed in 1853 in a civil ceremony. Teresa's family then relented and the couple married again, this time with John Hughes
, Catholic
Archbishop
of New York City, presiding. Some seven months later, in 1853, their only child, Laura Buchanan Sickles, was born.
Some contemporary accounts ascribed considerable influence to Bagioli. George Templeton Strong
reported that Bagioli's "local importance as a teacher of singing was equated with that of the Paris Conservatoire in Europe" by some. However, some of his students, although subjects of considerable interest, did not have further success.
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
was a successful composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, music teacher
Music education
Music education is a field of study associated with the teaching and learning of music. It touches on all domains of learning, including the psychomotor domain , the cognitive domain , and, in particular and significant ways,the affective domain, including music appreciation and sensitivity...
and author, and the father of Teresa Bagioli Sickles
Teresa Bagioli Sickles
Teresa Bagioli Sickles was the wife of Democratic New York State Assemblyman, U.S. Representative, and later U.S. Army Major General Daniel E. Sickles. She gained notoriety in 1859, when her husband stood trial for the murder of her lover, Philip Barton Key, son of Francis Scott Key...
, wife of Dan Sickles, central figures in a notorious murder trial in 1859.
He is sometimes confused with Antonio Bagioli (1783–1855) (son of Luigi), a cousin.
Early years
Giuseppe Antonio Bagioli was born in BolognaBologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
, Italy, the son of Mauro Bagioli and of Puglioli Teresa (fonte:Anagrafe Napoleonica-Archivio di Stato Cesena Italy), on November 17, 1795. His mother's family was from Bologna and his father's family was from the nearby town of Cesena
Cesena
Cesena is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, south of Ravenna and west of Rimini, on the Savio River, co-chief of the Province of Forlì-Cesena. It is at the foot of the Apennines, and about 15 km from the Adriatic Sea.-History:Cesena was originally an Umbrian...
, where they had been established for generations. He studied in Bologna under Padre Mattei, and then entered the conservatory of Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
where he studied for several years under Zingarelli. He composed melodramas that represented Cesena (1815), Naples (1824) and Bologna (1826 and others), leading to a certain fame in his native land of Italy.
Coming to America
In 1832 Bagioli was appointed "gran maestro" (or conductor, or musical director) of the Italian opera companyOpera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
of Giacomo Montresor, a French tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
. This company was the first (or second) Italian opera
Italian opera
Italian opera is both the art of opera in Italy and opera in the Italian language. Opera was born in Italy around the year 1600 and Italian opera has continued to play a dominant role in the history of the form until the present day. Many famous operas in Italian were written by foreign composers,...
company to ever visit the United States, and traveled to New York with the company. There, Bagioli called on Lorenzo Da Ponte
Lorenzo Da Ponte
Lorenzo Da Ponte was a Venetian opera librettist and poet. He wrote the librettos for 28 operas by 11 composers, including three of Mozart's greatest operas, Don Giovanni, The Marriage of Figaro and Così fan tutte....
, the noted music teacher, who had worked as Mozart's librettist on such works as The Marriage of Figaro
The Marriage of Figaro
Le nozze di Figaro, ossia la folle giornata , K. 492, is an opera buffa composed in 1786 in four acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte, based on a stage comedy by Pierre Beaumarchais, La folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro .Although the play by...
, and who held the chair of Italian Literature at Columbia College (later Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
). Da Ponte's son, also named Lorenzo, and sometimes called Lorenzo the Younger, was a professor at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
. There Bagioli met Maria (or Eliza) Cooke (1819–1894), who was the adopted and alleged "natural" child of Lorenzo Da Ponte, who would have been about 70 when he fathered her. Maria was from Croton Falls, in Westchester County, New York.
After a critically successful (but perhaps not financially successful) season the opera troupe went to Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, but Bagioli stayed in New York City, having apparently fallen in love with Maria, then still an adolescent and Da Ponte's ward. While courting Maria Cooke, Bagioli composed the score for Da Ponte's Hymn to America, with which he would later always open and close concerts. Sources place their marriage at about 1834. At about this time, Baglioli moved into the Da Ponte household and began to establish himself as a voice instructor. Their daughter, Teresa
Teresa Bagioli Sickles
Teresa Bagioli Sickles was the wife of Democratic New York State Assemblyman, U.S. Representative, and later U.S. Army Major General Daniel E. Sickles. She gained notoriety in 1859, when her husband stood trial for the murder of her lover, Philip Barton Key, son of Francis Scott Key...
was born in 1836, when Maria was 17. During the rest of the 1830s, Bagioli's popularity and influence as a conductor and composer, as well as a voice instructor, was on the increase. His American students became well known performers, and Bagioli has been credited by some with spreading the popularity of Italian song and opera throughout America. He continued to work as an orchestral conductor as well.
Famous son-in-law
In 1839 the Da Ponte household grew larger by the addition of Daniel SicklesDaniel Sickles
Daniel Edgar Sickles was a colorful and controversial American politician, Union general in the American Civil War, and diplomat....
(b 1819), a future Union general, who, at the behest of his parents George Garret Sickles and Susan Marsh Sickles, (who felt him to be " sufficiently unsettled and in need of special tutoring"), and owing in part to his friendship with Lorenzo the Younger a New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
professor, moved in to the house on Spring Street, ostensibly to study foreign languages. While boarding, Sickles made the acquaintance of Maria, the same age as he, and her daughter Teresa, who was 3 at the time. Later, as Sickles rose in prominence, rumours persistently circulated that Sickles had seduced Maria Cooke Bagioli. Whether that was true or not, Sickles did become friends with the family as part of his boarding experience, and was involved in the upbringing of Teresa, although he left after about a year when his mentor suddenly died. Sickles however maintained close ties with the family, possibly to continue the study of French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
.
Though Sickles possibly had known Teresa since her infancy, he made her acquaintance again in 1851, this time as an Assemblyman (and part of the Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society...
Democratic machine). He was thirty-three years old, she was fifteen. Sickles was quite taken with Teresa and soon proposed marriage. Despite his prominence and long connection to the family, the Bagiolis refused to consent to the marriage. Undeterred, the couple wed in 1853 in a civil ceremony. Teresa's family then relented and the couple married again, this time with John Hughes
John Hughes (archbishop)
John Joseph Hughes , was an Irish-born clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the fourth Bishop and first Archbishop of the Archdiocese of New York, serving between 1842 and his death in 1864....
, Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of New York City, presiding. Some seven months later, in 1853, their only child, Laura Buchanan Sickles, was born.
Works
Bagioli produced numerous musical compositions, including a collection of studies/songs for instruction "One Hour of Daily Study for the Acquirement of a Correct Pronunciation of the Vowels, which is the only Method to become a Perfect Vocalist"Some contemporary accounts ascribed considerable influence to Bagioli. George Templeton Strong
George Templeton Strong
George Templeton Strong was an American lawyer and diarist. His 2,250-page diary, discovered in the 1930s, provides a striking personal account of life in the 19th century, especially during the events of the American Civil War...
reported that Bagioli's "local importance as a teacher of singing was equated with that of the Paris Conservatoire in Europe" by some. However, some of his students, although subjects of considerable interest, did not have further success.