Franco Vittadini
Encyclopedia
Franco Vittadini was an Italian composer and conductor. As a composer he is mostly known for his operas and sacred music.
Born in Pavia
, he began his musical studies in 1903 at the Milan Conservatory
, but left prematurely because of a disagreement with the director, Giuseppe Gallignani. For a short period he was maestro di cappella and organist in Varese
, thereafter spending the rest of his life in Pavia where he was the director of the Istituto Musicale from 1924 until his death.
As a stage composer, Vittadini found his greatest success with the opera Anima allegra (1918 - 1919), performed abroad as well as in Italy. His ballet Vecchia Milano (1928) was also very successful. Vittadini considered his opera Caracciolo
(1938) to be his finest work, but his opera Fiammetta e l'avaro (1942 - 1951) was more successful at winning audiences.
Vittadini received attention outside the theater for his religious works. He wrote numerous masses
and motets in a style very similar to that of Lorenzo Perosi. His oratorio
L'agonia del Redentore (1933) is considered to be one of his finer works, and his religious drama Nazareth (1925) forms a bridge between his achievements within sacred compositions and dramatic works.
Born in Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
, he began his musical studies in 1903 at the Milan Conservatory
Milan Conservatory
The Milan Conservatory is a college of music which was established by a royal decree of 1807 in Milan, capital of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy. It opened the following year with premises in the cloisters of the Baroque church of Santa Maria della Passione. There were initially 18 boarders,...
, but left prematurely because of a disagreement with the director, Giuseppe Gallignani. For a short period he was maestro di cappella and organist in Varese
Varese
Varese is a town and comune in north-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 55 km north of Milan.It is the capital of the Province of Varese. The hinterland or urban part of the city is called Varesotto.- Geography :...
, thereafter spending the rest of his life in Pavia where he was the director of the Istituto Musicale from 1924 until his death.
As a stage composer, Vittadini found his greatest success with the opera Anima allegra (1918 - 1919), performed abroad as well as in Italy. His ballet Vecchia Milano (1928) was also very successful. Vittadini considered his opera Caracciolo
Caracciolo
Caracciolo is the surname of a famous noble family of southern Italy.Its members include:*Battistello Caracciolo, Italian painter*Carmine Nicolao Caracciolo, Spanish viceroy of Peru*Francesco Caracciolo, Neapolitan admiral and revolutionist...
(1938) to be his finest work, but his opera Fiammetta e l'avaro (1942 - 1951) was more successful at winning audiences.
Vittadini received attention outside the theater for his religious works. He wrote numerous masses
Mass (music)
The Mass, a form of sacred musical composition, is a choral composition that sets the invariable portions of the Eucharistic liturgy to music...
and motets in a style very similar to that of Lorenzo Perosi. His oratorio
Oratorio
An oratorio is a large musical composition including an orchestra, a choir, and soloists. Like an opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias...
L'agonia del Redentore (1933) is considered to be one of his finer works, and his religious drama Nazareth (1925) forms a bridge between his achievements within sacred compositions and dramatic works.
Operas
- Il mare di Tiberiade (1914)
- Anima Allegra (1918-19)
- Nazareth (1925)
- La Sagredo (1930)
- Il natale di Gesù (1933)
- Caracciolo (1938)
- Fiammetta e l'avaro (1942)
Sources
- Opera Glass
- John C.G. Waterhouse. The New Grove Dictionary of OperaNew Grove Dictionary of OperaThe New Grove Dictionary of Opera is an encyclopedia of opera, considered to be one of the best general reference sources on the subject. It is the largest work on opera in English, and in its printed form, amounts to 5,448 pages in four volumes....
, edited by Stanley Sadie (1992). ISBN 0-333-73432-7 and ISBN 1-56159-228-5