Giacomo Cordella

Giacomo Cordella

Giacomo Cordella (Naples, 25 July 1786 – Naples, 8 May 1847) was an Italian composer.

Biography

Cordella studied in Naples with Fedele Fenaroli and Giovanni Paisiello.[1][2] In 1804 he composed his first work, a cantata entitled La Vittoria dell'Arca contro Gerico.[1][3] With the help of Paisiello in 1805 he had the possibility to produce in Venice his first opera, Il ciarlatano, which was appreciated for its comic verve[1] and then performed in other cities in northern Italy, including Milan, Turin and Padua.[1][2]

Cordella continued his activity mainly in Naples, where he was appreciated for his opere buffe, while his few opere serie met with failures. His greatest success was Una follia,[2] first performed in 1813, an opera buffa featuring "a vivacious plot and a melody that flows agreeably".[3] Cordella composed also sacred music.

Works

Operas

Title Genre Sub­divisions Libretto Première date Theatre
Il ciarlatano, ossia I finti savoiardi farsa giocosa 1 act Luigi Buonavoglia 11 February 1805 Venice, Teatro San Moisè
L'albergatrice scaltra 27 June 1807 Naples, Teatro San Carlo
Annibale in Capua dramma per musica 2 acts Antonio Simeone Sografi
(attribution uncertain)		 21 October 1809 Naples, Teatro San Carlo
L'isola incantata farsa 1 act Summer 1809 Naples, Teatro Nuovo
Una follia commedia per musica 2 acts Andrea Leone Tottola 1813 Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini
L'avaro commedia per musica 2 acts Giuseppe Palomba Autumn 1814 Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini
L'azzardo fortunato commedia per musica 1 act Andrea Leone Tottola Carnival 1815 Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini
La rappresaglia, ovvero Amore alla prova Cesare Sterbini 26 December 1818 Rome, Teatro Valle
Il contraccambio dramma giocoso 2 acts Cesare Sterbini Carnival 1819 Rome, Teatro Valle
Lo scaltro millantatore commedia per musica 2 acts Giuseppe Palomba 16 July 1819 Naples, Teatro Nuovo
Lo sposo di provincia commedia per musica 2 acts Giovanni Schmidt 29 September 1821 Rome, Teatro Argentina
Il castello degli invalidi farsa 1 act 1823 Naples, Teatro Nuovo
Il frenetico per amore melodramma 2 acts Autumn 1824 Naples, Teatro Nuovo
Alcibiade azione eroica 2 acts Luigi Prividali 26 December 1824 Venice, Teatro La Fenice
Gli avventurieri melodramma giocoso 2 acts Felice Romani 6 September 1825 Milan, Teatro della Canobbiana
La bella prigioniera opera buffa 2 acts 1826 Naples, Teatro del Fondo
Il marito disperato commedia giocosa per musica 2 acts Andrea Passaro, after a comedy with the same title by Giovanni Battista Lorenzi Lent 1833 Naples, Teatro del Fondo
I due furbi commedia per musica 2 acts Giuseppe Palomba, revision by Andrea Passaro 16 July 1835 Naples, Teatro Nuovo
Matilde di Lanchefort melodramma storico 2 acts Andrea Passaro Spring 1838 Naples, Teatro del Fondo
L'abitator delle rupi
Le nozze campestri dramma per musica 1 act Giovanni Schmidt 30 May 1840 Naples, Teatro San Carlo

Other

  • La vittoria dell'Arca contro Gerico, cantata, Naples, 1804
  • Manfredi trovatore, cantata, Naples, Teatro San Carlo, 6 July 1836 (in collaboration with other composers)
  • Il dono a Partenope, cantata, libretto by Giovanni Schmidt, Naples, Teatro San Carlo, 30 May 1840 (in collaboration with other composers)

Cordella composed many other works, including masses, motets and works for small ensembles.

References

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Fétis, Biographie universelle
  2. ^ a b c Libby, New Grove Dictionary of Opera
  3. ^ a b Cruciani, Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani

Sources

  • Fétis, François-Joseph, ed. (1866). "CORDELLA (Jacques)". Biographie universelle des musiciens et bibliographie générale de la musique (in French). Vol. 2. Paris: Firmin-Didot. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  • Cruciani, Alessandra (1983). "CORDELLA, Giacomo". Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani, Volume 28: Conforto–Cordero (in Italian). Rome: Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana. ISBN 978-8-81200032-6. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  • Libby, Dennis (1992). "Cordella, Giacomo". In Sadie, Stanley (ed.). The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. Vol. 1. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-522186-2.
  • Libby, Dennis; Beghelli, Marco (2001). "Cordella, Giacomo". The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.