Benincori, Angelo Maria

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Benincori, Angelo Maria

Benincori, Angelo Maria, Italian violinist, teacher, and composer; b. Brescia, March 28, 1779; d. Belleville, near Paris, Dec. 30, 1821. He studied violin with Rolla and counterpoint with Ghiretti in Parma, playing at the court when he was eight; then completed his training with Cimarosa in Italy. After a sojourn in Spain, and then in Vienna (1800–03), he settled in Paris. Although Benincori attempted to establish himself as a dramatic composer, he was unsuccessful and was compelled to teach violin. Upon the death of Isouard in 1818, he was given the task of completing that composer’s opera Aladin, ou La lampe merveilleuse, but Benincori died before finishing the score. Habeneck then finished the opera, which was successfully premiered in Paris on Feb. 6, 1822. Benincori wrote six operas and various chamber pieces, including nine string quartets (three not extant) and three piano trios.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire

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