Personalities | Francesco Cavalli | Early Baroque | Classical
(Fran-ches’-ko Ka-val’-le) 1602–76
Italian composer
Cavalli was born Caletti but took the name of his first patron. His life was centred on the basilica of St Mark’s, where his teacher, Monteverdi, was maestro di cappella. He became second organist there in 1639, principal organist in 1665, and maestro di cappella in 1668. He was the most gifted and celebrated of Monteverdi’s successors in Venetian opera. His first opera, Le nozze di Teti e Peleo (‘The Marriage of Teti and Peleo’), was staged at the Teatro San Cassiano in 1639. Among later successes were Egisto (1643), Ormindo (1644) and Giasone (1648–49), the last of which was played more than any other of his operas during his lifetime. Between 1660 and 1662 Cavalli worked in Paris, at the invitation of Cardinal Mazarin. Xerse (1654), performed for the wedding of Louis XIV and the Infanta Maria Theresa of Spain, was followed by Ercole amante (‘Hercules in Love’, 1662), which failed disastrously. Both contained splendid danced entrées by Lully.
Recommended Recording:
Calisto, Concerto Vocale (dir) René Jacobs (Harmonia Mundi)
Introduction | Early Baroque | Classical
Personalities | Antonio Cesti | Early Baroque | Classical
AUTHORITATIVE
An extensive music information resource, bringing together the talents and expertise of a wide range of editors and musicologists, including Stanley Sadie, Charles Wilson, Paul Du Noyer, Tony Byworth, Bob Allen, Howard Mandel, Cliff Douse, William Schafer, John Wilson...
CURATED
Classical, Rock, Blues, Jazz, Country and more. Flame Tree has been making encyclopaedias and guides about music for over 20 years. Now Flame Tree Pro brings together a huge canon of carefully curated information on genres, styles, artists and instruments. It's a perfect tool for study, and entertaining too, a great companion to our music books.
David Bowie
Fantastic new, unofficial biography covers
his life, music, art and movies, with a
sweep of incredible photographs.
