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

Giacomo Cordella

Biography

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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

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Operas

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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

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  • 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

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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.