Primo Riccitelli
Encyclopedia
Primo Riccitelli was an Italian
composer.
One of six children, he was born in the village of Cognoli, Campli
in the Abruzzo Region of Italy
. His father, Giuseppe, was a small land owner and his mother, Maria Maiaroli, a homemaker. The one-day old infant was baptized at the local parish hall of Molviano with the first name Pancrazio. He would later perform under the stage name, Primo Riccitelli.
Primo Riccitelli began his studies in the town of Teramo
and then transferred to the Rossini Conservatory
in Pesaro
where he soon became the protégé of Pietro Mascagni
. He is perhaps best remembered for two operas, I Compagnacci
and Madonna Oretta. Lesser known compositions include Madonnetta, Francesca da Rimini
, Lory, Nena; Heremos, Suora Maddalena and Maria sul Monte. The one-act opera 'I Compagnacci,' was performed in Rome
and at the Metropolitan Opera House
in New York
, USA. All traces of several other of Primo Riccitelli's operas have been lost.
After a brief illness Primo Riccitelli died on the 27th of March, 1941 in Giulianova
where he is now buried. A street in the town of Teramo
bears the name of this illustrious citizen. Also carrying the name of this composer is a musical and theater society headquartered in Teramo and performing in Bellante
. On 20 April, 2006 a bronze statue was dedicated to Primo Riccitelli at the entrance to the cemetery in the small village of Sant'Onofrio
located near his birthplace.
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...
composer.
One of six children, he was born in the village of Cognoli, Campli
Campli
Campli is a town and comune in the province of Teramo, in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. It is located in the natural park known as the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park.-Geography:...
in the Abruzzo Region of 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...
. His father, Giuseppe, was a small land owner and his mother, Maria Maiaroli, a homemaker. The one-day old infant was baptized at the local parish hall of Molviano with the first name Pancrazio. He would later perform under the stage name, Primo Riccitelli.
Primo Riccitelli began his studies in the town of Teramo
Teramo
Teramo is a city and comune in the central Italian region of Abruzzo, the capital of the province of Teramo.The city, from Rome, is situated between the highest mountains of the Apennines and the Adriatic coast...
and then transferred to the Rossini Conservatory
Conservatorio Statale di Musica "Gioachino Rossini"
The Conservatorio Statale di Musica "Gioachino Rossini" is a music conservatory in Pesaro, Italy. Founded in 1869 with a legacy from the composer Gioachino Rossini, the conservatory officially opened in 1882 with 67 students and was then known as the Liceo musicale Rossini...
in Pesaro
Pesaro
Pesaro is a town and comune in the Italian region of the Marche, capital of the Pesaro e Urbino province, on the Adriatic. According to the 2007 census, its population was 92,206....
where he soon became the protégé of Pietro Mascagni
Pietro Mascagni
Pietro Antonio Stefano Mascagni was an Italian composer most noted for his operas. His 1890 masterpiece Cavalleria rusticana caused one of the greatest sensations in opera history and single-handedly ushered in the Verismo movement in Italian dramatic music...
. He is perhaps best remembered for two operas, I Compagnacci
Compagnacci
Compagnacci was a group or political faction numbering one hundred fifty men in Florence, Italy. They were opposed to Girolamo Savonarola, a Dominican friar who cameto dominate Florentine religious life and politics in the 1490s...
and Madonna Oretta. Lesser known compositions include Madonnetta, Francesca da Rimini
Francesca da Rimini
Francesca da Rimini or Francesca da Polenta was the daughter of Guido da Polenta, lord of Ravenna. She was a historical contemporary of Dante Alighieri, who portrayed her as a character in the Divine Comedy.-Arranged marriage:...
, Lory, Nena; Heremos, Suora Maddalena and Maria sul Monte. The one-act opera 'I Compagnacci,' was performed in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and at the Metropolitan Opera House
Metropolitan Opera House (39th St)
The Metropolitan Opera House was an opera house located at 1411 Broadway in New York City. Opened in 1883 and demolished in 1967, it was the first home of the Metropolitan Opera Company.-History:...
in 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...
, USA. All traces of several other of Primo Riccitelli's operas have been lost.
After a brief illness Primo Riccitelli died on the 27th of March, 1941 in Giulianova
Giulianova
Giulianova is a coastal town and comune in the province of Teramo of central Italy.-Geography:The town lies in the north of the Abruzzo region, between the Salinello and the Tordino rivers. Giulianova is split between the Paese, the historic town up in the hills, and the lido, the more recent...
where he is now buried. A street in the town of Teramo
Teramo
Teramo is a city and comune in the central Italian region of Abruzzo, the capital of the province of Teramo.The city, from Rome, is situated between the highest mountains of the Apennines and the Adriatic coast...
bears the name of this illustrious citizen. Also carrying the name of this composer is a musical and theater society headquartered in Teramo and performing in Bellante
Bellante
Bellante is a town and comune in Teramo province in the Abruzzo region of eastern Italy....
. On 20 April, 2006 a bronze statue was dedicated to Primo Riccitelli at the entrance to the cemetery in the small village of Sant'Onofrio
Sant'Onofrio
Sant'Onofrio is a comune in the Province of Vibo Valentia in the Italian region Calabria, located about 45 km southwest of Catanzaro and about 4 km northeast of Vibo Valentia. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 3,202 and an area of 18.4 km²...
located near his birthplace.
Performances
- Teatro GrattacieloTeatro GrattacieloTeatro Grattacielo is a professional opera company based in New York City specializing in concert performances of rarely heard verismo operas. The company's past performances have included the North American premieres of Mascagni's Il piccolo Marat and Riccardo Zandonai's I cavalieri di Ekebù and...
will be performing I Compagnacci in the Spring of 2011 in New York City.
Source
- D.Taylor & R. Kerr (eds.), The Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, New York (1940).
- Raffaele Aurini, Dizionario Bibliografico della gente D'Abruzzo, Teramo, 1973, volume V;
- Dizionario Bibliografico della gente D'Abruzzo, 2° edizione, a cura di Fausto Eugeni, Luigi Ponziani e Marcello Sgattoni, Colledara, 2002, Andromeda Editrice, vol. 5, pp. 106-114;
- Fernando Aurini, I Compagnacci, Teramo, Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio, novembre 1999;
External links
- Approfondimenti su Primo Riccitelli (In Italian)