Il maestro di cappella
| Domenico Cimarosa |
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Operas
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Il maestro di cappella is an operatic intermezzo in one act by Domenico Cimarosa. (Though often translated in English as The Music Teacher, the Italian term maestro di cappella is the equivalent of the German kapellmeister — "master of the choir or orchestra".) The first known performance of the work was on July 2, 1793 in Berlin, Germany. However, it is likely that this was not the premier production, and music historians believe the opera debuted some time between 1786 and 1792. The author of the opera's libretto is now unknown.[1]
An amusing monodrama for a bass-baritone, the opera portrays a pompous maestro rehearsing an orchestra, often imitating the sound of the instruments. Always popular with great buffos (such as Fernando Corena and Sesto Bruscantini), it continues to be regularly performed. A typical performance runs slightly under 20 minutes.
References
- Notes
- Sources
- Anderson, James, The Complete Dictionary of Opera & Operetta Wings Books, 1993 ISBN 0-517-09156-9