Domenico Cimarosa(1749-1801)
- Music Department
- Composer
- Writer
Cimarosa was born the only child to Anna de Francesca, a washerwoman, and Gennaro Cimmarosa, a stonemason. When Cimarosa was seven, his father died in an accident, leaving the family in poverty. Anna found a job working as a laundress for the Church of San Severo in Pendino, and left her son to be raised and educated by the monks there. Cimarosa trained well in music, so in 1761, he attended the Conservatorio di Santa Maria di Loreto, the top musical college in Naples, where Gennaro Manna and Fedele Fenaroli taught him composition and harmony; by 1770, he was a senior student in this class. Cimarosa also studied violin under Saverio Carcais, and singing under Pierantonio Gallo.
After graduating from the conservatory in 1771, he premiered his first comic opera, "Le stravaganze del conte" in 1772. Within a couple of years, he was invited to Rome to write an opera. Throughout the 1770s and 1780s, Cimarosa became known for his comic operas; in November of 1779, he was appointed as the supernumerary organist for the Neapolitan royal court, and he also became a visiting maestro at the Ospedaletto di Santi Giovanni e Paolo in Venice by the following decade. Throughout the 1780s, Cimarosa was regarded as the most popular opera composer in the late 18th century.
In July of 1787, Cimarosa was invited by Empress Catherine II to become her court composer, so he and his family moved to Saint Petersburg. Because he had less success in Russia than his contemporaries and he didn't like Russian winters, Cimarosa left Russia in June of 1791. When he arrived in Vienna, Emperor Leopold II appointed him Kapellmeister to the court, and commissioned him to write the opera "Il matrimonio segreto", which led to a successful premier in 1792. Three weeks later, Leopold II died, and his successor Francis II, showed his disinterest in music, which led to Cimarosa's dismissal and return to Naples. In 1796, Cimarosa returned to his previous position as chief organist for the royal court. After the death of his wife that same year, Cimarosa wasn't as prolific as he used to be, and his health began to go into decline.
When the French invaded Naples in 1799, Cimarosa sided with the French, and even usurped the position of Maestro di Cappella. When the Bourbons returned to Naples in July of that year, they declared that no mercy should be shown to the rebels, or to the people who sided with them. Cimarosa was arrested on December 9, 1799, but in April of 1800, he was freed by his peers, and went into exile. He travelled to Venice, took lodging in a former palace that became a hotel, and came into the employ of the Grimani family. He died from a tumor in his lower abdomen on January 11, 1801, at the age of 51.
After graduating from the conservatory in 1771, he premiered his first comic opera, "Le stravaganze del conte" in 1772. Within a couple of years, he was invited to Rome to write an opera. Throughout the 1770s and 1780s, Cimarosa became known for his comic operas; in November of 1779, he was appointed as the supernumerary organist for the Neapolitan royal court, and he also became a visiting maestro at the Ospedaletto di Santi Giovanni e Paolo in Venice by the following decade. Throughout the 1780s, Cimarosa was regarded as the most popular opera composer in the late 18th century.
In July of 1787, Cimarosa was invited by Empress Catherine II to become her court composer, so he and his family moved to Saint Petersburg. Because he had less success in Russia than his contemporaries and he didn't like Russian winters, Cimarosa left Russia in June of 1791. When he arrived in Vienna, Emperor Leopold II appointed him Kapellmeister to the court, and commissioned him to write the opera "Il matrimonio segreto", which led to a successful premier in 1792. Three weeks later, Leopold II died, and his successor Francis II, showed his disinterest in music, which led to Cimarosa's dismissal and return to Naples. In 1796, Cimarosa returned to his previous position as chief organist for the royal court. After the death of his wife that same year, Cimarosa wasn't as prolific as he used to be, and his health began to go into decline.
When the French invaded Naples in 1799, Cimarosa sided with the French, and even usurped the position of Maestro di Cappella. When the Bourbons returned to Naples in July of that year, they declared that no mercy should be shown to the rebels, or to the people who sided with them. Cimarosa was arrested on December 9, 1799, but in April of 1800, he was freed by his peers, and went into exile. He travelled to Venice, took lodging in a former palace that became a hotel, and came into the employ of the Grimani family. He died from a tumor in his lower abdomen on January 11, 1801, at the age of 51.
