Farinelli (real name, Finco), Giuseppe (Francesco)
Farinelli (real name, Finco), Giuseppe (Francesco)
Farinelli (real name, Finco), Giuseppe (Francesco), Italian composer; b. Este, May 7, 1769;d. Trieste, Dec. 12, 1836. After initial training in Este, he studied in Venice with Antonio Martinelli. He adopted the name Farinelli when he was befriended by the celebrated castrato soprano. He was a pupil of La Barbiera (voice), Fago (harmony), Sala (counterpoint), and Tritto (composition) at the Cons, della Pieta dei Turchini in Naples. After his first opera was premiered at the Cons, in 1792, he went on to compose some 20 opere serie and 38 comic operas. A number of his operas were popular until being eclipsed by the masterpieces of Rossini. From 1817 until his death he was maestro al cembalo at the Teatro Grande in Trieste, and was also organist and maestro di cappella at the cathedral of S. Giusto there from 1819. Among his other works were 3 oratorios, 5 Masses, 2 Te Deums, and 11 cantatas.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire