Falstaff, or The Three Tricks
Sir John in Love - Salieri, Defranceschi and The Merry Wives of Windsor
'Remember kindly Salieri's shade' - an article on Salieri and opera by John A. Rice
Salieri on Falstaff - the composer's opinion of his own work
Antonio Salieri was one of the most widely respected opera composers of the second half of the eighteenth century. Born in Legnano in northern Italy in 1750, the fifth son of a merchant, his early talents on the violin, harpsichord and in singing led to his move to Venice at the age of 15. There he attracted the attention of the Viennese composer Florian Gassmann who effectively adopted him, taking him to Vienna and facilitating further training and the requisite introductions in court circles. He quickly came to the notice of the emperor Joseph II, as well as the librettist Pietro Metastasio, and the reformist composer Gluck who remained a lifelong supporter. At the age of 24, Salieri became Court composer and director of the Italian opera, and some years later became Kapellmeister. His greatest triumphs however were in Milan, where he wrote Europa Riconosciuta for the opening of La Scala in 1778 on the recommendation of Gluck, and in Paris with Les Danaides (1784) and Tarare (1787), to a libretto by Beaumarchais. After Joseph’s death in 1790, Salieri’s pre-eminence declined, and the final twenty years of his life saw a turn away from large scale composition and opera, although he remained highly influential in Viennese musical life. He was generous in his cultivation of young talent and financially supported charities for musicians. As a teacher he was much respected: his pupils included Beethoven, Schubert, Hummel and Liszt. His final years were clouded by mental illness, leading to his ‘confession’ that he had poisoned Mozart. He died in Vienna in 1825.
Press
a gem of an evening Opera Now November 2003
witty, imaginative...music of the highest order Music and Vision 2003
Fat Jack's merry life in the RAF The Times 31 July 2003
pure magic The Independent 31 July 2003
uniformly excellent The Oxford Times 1 August 2003
Thirty-one scenes of sheer joy Opera magazine on our revival at the Bath Shakespeare Festival 2004
consistency and precision Opera News at the Bath Shakespeare Festival 2004
