Carlo Scalzi
Encyclopedia
Carlo Scalzi was an Italian castrato
who had an active performance career in major opera house
s in Italy from 1718-1738. He was also heard in London in 1733-1734 where he notably created the role of Alceste in the world premiere of George Frideric Handel
's Arianna in Creta
. The librettist Pietro Metastasio described Scalzi as a "very unique singer" and likened his voice to that of the famous castrato Farinelli
.
s by Alessandro Scarlatti
in Rome. From 1719-1722 he was heard in Venice in operas by Giuseppe Maria Orlandini
, Carlo Francesco Pollarolo
, and Giovanni Porta
. He also performed in Reggio Emilia and Modena in 1720.
In 1722 Scalzi was once again heard in Rome and in 1722-1723 he performed in Genoa. He then sang in Florence (1723 and 1729), Milan (1724), Venice (1724–1725), and Parma (1725). He had great success in Naples in 1726-1727 and 1730 in the operas of Johann Adolf Hasse, Nicola Porpora
, and Leonardo Vinci
. He notably created roles in two world premieres at the Teatro San Bartolomeo in 1726: Sesostrate in Hasse's Miride e Damari on 13 May 1726 and Ricimero in Vinci's L'Ernelinda on 4 November 1726. In 1728-1729 and 1731-1732 he was again in Rome where he performed in the premieres of Vinci's La Semiramide riconosciuta (6 February 1729, role of Mirteo) and Vinci's Artaserse (4 February 1730, role of Megacle). In 1733 he returned to Genoa for performances.
In 1733-1734 Scalzi was committed to George Frideric Handel
's opera company at the King's Theatre
in London. Handel changed and extended arias from some of his previous operas for Scalzi: including for revivals of Ottone
(November 1733 , Adalberto), Sosarme
(April 1734, Argone), Acis and Galatea
(May 1734, Dorindo), and Il pastor fido (May 1734, Silvio). On 26 January 1734 he created the role of Alceste in the world premiere of George Frideric Handel's Arianna in Creta
. On 13 March 1734 he sang the role of Orpheus in the premiere of Handel's masque
Parnasso in festa for the wedding of Princess Anne
and William IV, Prince of Orange
. While Handel greatly admired Scalzi's talents, the English public did not respond to Scalzi with the same enthusiasm that he enjoyed in Italy.
In 1734 Scalzi returned to Italy. His last known performances were in operas by Hasse and Porpora in Venice in 1737-1738. After that, his whereabouts and activities are unknown.
Castrato
A castrato is a man with a singing voice equivalent to that of a soprano, mezzo-soprano, or contralto voice produced either by castration of the singer before puberty or one who, because of an endocrinological condition, never reaches sexual maturity.Castration before puberty prevents a boy's...
who had an active performance career in major opera house
Opera house
An opera house is a theatre building used for opera performances that consists of a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and set building...
s in Italy from 1718-1738. He was also heard in London in 1733-1734 where he notably created the role of Alceste in the world premiere of George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel was a German-British Baroque composer, famous for his operas, oratorios, anthems and organ concertos. Handel was born in 1685, in a family indifferent to music...
's Arianna in Creta
Arianna in Creta
Arianna in Creta is an opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel. The Italian-language libretto was adapted by Francis Colman from Pietro Pariati's Arianna e Teseo, a text previously set by Nicola Porpora in 1727 and Leonardo Leo in 1729.-Performance history:The opera was first given at...
. The librettist Pietro Metastasio described Scalzi as a "very unique singer" and likened his voice to that of the famous castrato Farinelli
Farinelli
Farinelli , was the stage name of Carlo Maria Broschi, celebrated Italian castrato singer of the 18th century and one of the greatest singers in the history of opera.- Early years :...
.
Life and career
Nothing is known of Scalzi's early life and the exact year of his birth is unknown. The first definite account of the singer was in 1718-1719 for a series of performances in operaOpera
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...
s by Alessandro Scarlatti
Alessandro Scarlatti
Alessandro Scarlatti was an Italian Baroque composer especially famous for his operas and chamber cantatas. He is considered the founder of the Neapolitan school of opera. He was the father of two other composers, Domenico Scarlatti and Pietro Filippo Scarlatti.-Life:Scarlatti was born in...
in Rome. From 1719-1722 he was heard in Venice in operas by Giuseppe Maria Orlandini
Giuseppe Maria Orlandini
Giuseppe Maria Orlandini was an Italian baroque composer particularly known for his more than 40 operas and intermezzos...
, Carlo Francesco Pollarolo
Carlo Francesco Pollarolo
Carlo Francesco Pollarolo was an Italian composer, chiefly of operas. Born into a musical family, he became the cathedral organist of his home town of Brescia. In the 1680s he began composing operas for performance in nearby Venice. He wrote a total of 85 of them as well as 13 oratorios...
, and Giovanni Porta
Giovanni Porta
Giovanni Porta was an Italian opera composer.One of the masters of early 18th-century opera and one of the leading Venetian musicians, Porta made his way from Rome, to Vicenza, to Verona, then London where his opera Numitore was performed in 1720 by the Royal Academy of Music , and eventually back...
. He also performed in Reggio Emilia and Modena in 1720.
In 1722 Scalzi was once again heard in Rome and in 1722-1723 he performed in Genoa. He then sang in Florence (1723 and 1729), Milan (1724), Venice (1724–1725), and Parma (1725). He had great success in Naples in 1726-1727 and 1730 in the operas of Johann Adolf Hasse, Nicola Porpora
Nicola Porpora
Nicola Porpora was an Italian composer of Baroque operas and teacher of singing, whose most famous singing student was the castrato Farinelli. One of his other students was composer Matteo Capranica.-Biography:Porpora was born in Naples...
, and Leonardo Vinci
Leonardo Vinci
Leonardo Vinci was an Italian composer, best known for his operas.He was born at Strongoli and educated at Naples under Gaetano Greco in the Conservatorio dei Poveri di Gesù Cristo. He first became known for his opere buffe in Neapolitan dialect in 1719; he also composed many opere serie...
. He notably created roles in two world premieres at the Teatro San Bartolomeo in 1726: Sesostrate in Hasse's Miride e Damari on 13 May 1726 and Ricimero in Vinci's L'Ernelinda on 4 November 1726. In 1728-1729 and 1731-1732 he was again in Rome where he performed in the premieres of Vinci's La Semiramide riconosciuta (6 February 1729, role of Mirteo) and Vinci's Artaserse (4 February 1730, role of Megacle). In 1733 he returned to Genoa for performances.
In 1733-1734 Scalzi was committed to George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel was a German-British Baroque composer, famous for his operas, oratorios, anthems and organ concertos. Handel was born in 1685, in a family indifferent to music...
's opera company at the King's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre, in Haymarket, City of Westminster, London. The present building was designed by Charles J. Phipps and was constructed in 1897 for actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who established the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art at the theatre...
in London. Handel changed and extended arias from some of his previous operas for Scalzi: including for revivals of Ottone
Ottone
Ottone, re di Germania is an opera by George Frideric Handel, to an Italian–language libretto adapted by Nicola Francesco Haym from the libretto by Stefano Benedetto Pallavicino for Antonio Lotti's opera Teofane. It was the first new opera written for the Royal Academy of Music 's fourth season...
(November 1733 , Adalberto), Sosarme
Sosarme
Sosarme, re di Media is an opera by George Frideric Handel written for the Royal Academy of Music . The text was based on an earlier libretto by Antonio Salvi, Dionisio, Re di Portogallo , and adapted by an unknown writer. Composed in 1732, the original setting of Portugal was changed to Sardis in...
(April 1734, Argone), Acis and Galatea
Acis and Galatea
Acis and Galatea is a musical work by George Frideric Handel with an English text by John Gay. The work has been variously described as a serenata, a masque, a pastoral or pastoral opera, a "little opera" , an entertainment and in the New Grove Dictionary of Music an oratorio...
(May 1734, Dorindo), and Il pastor fido (May 1734, Silvio). On 26 January 1734 he created the role of Alceste in the world premiere of George Frideric Handel's Arianna in Creta
Arianna in Creta
Arianna in Creta is an opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel. The Italian-language libretto was adapted by Francis Colman from Pietro Pariati's Arianna e Teseo, a text previously set by Nicola Porpora in 1727 and Leonardo Leo in 1729.-Performance history:The opera was first given at...
. On 13 March 1734 he sang the role of Orpheus in the premiere of Handel's masque
Masque
The masque was a form of festive courtly entertainment which flourished in 16th and early 17th century Europe, though it was developed earlier in Italy, in forms including the intermedio...
Parnasso in festa for the wedding of Princess Anne
Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange
Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange was the second child and eldest daughter of King George II of Great Britain and his consort, Caroline of Ansbach. She was the spouse of William IV, Prince of Orange, the first hereditary stadtholder of the Netherlands...
and William IV, Prince of Orange
William IV, Prince of Orange
William IV, Prince of Orange-Nassau , born Willem Karel Hendrik Friso, was the first hereditary stadtholder of the Netherlands.-Early life:...
. While Handel greatly admired Scalzi's talents, the English public did not respond to Scalzi with the same enthusiasm that he enjoyed in Italy.
In 1734 Scalzi returned to Italy. His last known performances were in operas by Hasse and Porpora in Venice in 1737-1738. After that, his whereabouts and activities are unknown.