Arturo Buzzi-Peccia (13 October 1854 – 29 August 1943) was an Italian singing instructor and song composer.
Biography
Buzzi-Peccia was born 13 October 1854 in Milan, Austrian Empire, to Antonio and Clotilde Peccia.[1] Whrn he was about five Milan csme under Italian control. In 1868, he was accepted at the Milan Conservatory where he studied composition under Antonio Bazzini. In the late 1870s, he went to Paris to continue his studies under Massenet and Saint-Saëns. He returned to Italy, first to Milan and eventually taking a position in Turin as a voice teacher.[1]
He began to write music while still in school, and composed three works to secure his diploma from the Milan Conservatory in 1875. In 1886 his Visione e Baccanale romano was performed at La Scala. His symphonic poemRe Harfagar received critical acclaim when it premiered at La Scala in 1888.[1] The 1897 premiere in Turin of Buzzi-Peccia's only opera, Forza d'Amore, was conducted by Arturo Toscanini.[2] One of his best-known works is "Lolita: Serenata spagnola" (1892), recorded by many singers over the years including Enrico Caruso, John McCormick, Titta Ruffo, Mario Lanza, Richard Tucker and Alfredo Kraus. His "Mal d'Amore" was sung by Joseph Schmidt in the 1934 film My Song Goes Round the World. Most of his songs were written in Italian, but he also wrote lyrics in French and English. His most famous novelty song, "La Cigarette du Paradis" (Song of the Cigarette), was written in French.