Vicenç Cuyàs
Encyclopedia
Vicenç Cuyàs i Borés (Palma de Mallorca
, 1816 - Barcelona
, 7 March 1839) was a Catalan opera composer known for the first Catalan romantic opera La fattucchiera.
Vicenç Cuyàs i Borés was born to Catalan family in Palma de Mallorca where his family had fled during the War of Independence. Shortly after the family returned to Barcelona where Cuyàs began studies in medicine, which he soon relinquished. At the age of 17 he began to study music with Ramón Vilanova, one of Barcelona's most prestigious teachers during the early nineteenth century, who in turn had trained in Milan with abbé Isidore Piantanida. Cuyàs' early works consist of operatic music and ramblings that were premiered widely in private salons. But it was at the Teatre de la Santa Creu
where almost all of his works were produced. The First Symphony of Cuyàs is dated 1835 thought it is actually an extensive opera overture in a single movement. Of his Second Symphony only a fragment remains. To 1835 date several arias and duets composed for a drama of Antonio Ribot.
The opera is based on a novel of the Viscount of Arlincourt which had already been a success among the sentimental literature of the period. The action takes place in the twelfth century, after the Third Crusade, and in the plot, historical references are mixed with mixture of love, magic and seriousness. Felice Romani
had written a libretto based on the same plot for Saverio Mercadante
's opera Ismalia ossia Morte ed amore (27 October 1832, La Scala). Ramón Carnicer
reused the same libretto for an opera premiered in Madrid.
Palma de Mallorca
Palma is the major city and port on the island of Majorca and capital city of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain. The names Ciutat de Mallorca and Ciutat were used before the War of the Spanish Succession and are still used by people in Majorca. However, the official name...
, 1816 - Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, 7 March 1839) was a Catalan opera composer known for the first Catalan romantic opera La fattucchiera.
Vicenç Cuyàs i Borés was born to Catalan family in Palma de Mallorca where his family had fled during the War of Independence. Shortly after the family returned to Barcelona where Cuyàs began studies in medicine, which he soon relinquished. At the age of 17 he began to study music with Ramón Vilanova, one of Barcelona's most prestigious teachers during the early nineteenth century, who in turn had trained in Milan with abbé Isidore Piantanida. Cuyàs' early works consist of operatic music and ramblings that were premiered widely in private salons. But it was at the Teatre de la Santa Creu
Teatre Principal (Barcelona)
thumb|right|Teatre Principal, on the RamblaThe Teatre Principal is the oldest theatre in Barcelona, founded in 1602, rebuilt in 1788...
where almost all of his works were produced. The First Symphony of Cuyàs is dated 1835 thought it is actually an extensive opera overture in a single movement. Of his Second Symphony only a fragment remains. To 1835 date several arias and duets composed for a drama of Antonio Ribot.
La fattuchiera
Cuyàs is known almost exclusively for La fattucchiera - the Sorceress, considered the first romantic opera Catalan - though sung in Italian. Premiered in July 1838 in Barcelona, it had 24 performances in a row. Cuyàs would probably have become an important composer of operas but had died of tuberculosis on the last feature of the opera, for 22 years. Cuyàs father had also died of tuberculosis during the rehearsals.The opera is based on a novel of the Viscount of Arlincourt which had already been a success among the sentimental literature of the period. The action takes place in the twelfth century, after the Third Crusade, and in the plot, historical references are mixed with mixture of love, magic and seriousness. Felice Romani
Felice Romani
Felice Romani was an Italian poet and scholar of literature and mythology who wrote many librettos for the opera composers Donizetti and Bellini. Romani was considered the finest Italian librettist between Metastasio and Boito.-Biography:Born Giuseppe Felice Romani to a bourgeois family in Genoa,...
had written a libretto based on the same plot for Saverio Mercadante
Saverio Mercadante
Giuseppe Saverio Raffaele Mercadante was an Italian composer, particularly of operas. While Mercadante may not have retained the international celebrity of Gaetano Donizetti or Gioachino Rossini beyond his own lifetime, he composed as impressive a number of works as either; and his development of...
's opera Ismalia ossia Morte ed amore (27 October 1832, La Scala). Ramón Carnicer
Ramón Carnicer
Ramon Carnicer i Batlle was a Catalan composer and opera conductor, today best known for composing the National Anthem of Chile....
reused the same libretto for an opera premiered in Madrid.
- Translated from Catalan Wikipedia