Orgitano

Orgitano, family of Italian musicians:

(1) Vincenzo Orgitano, composer; b. c. 1735; d. Naples, c. 1807. He was made music master to Maria Teresa and Maria Louisa, the daughters of King Ferdinand of Naples, about 1779. In 1782 he was named maestro di cappella soprannumerario and in 1787 primo maestro of the royal chapel. He wrote the operas II finto pastorello (Naples, 1759) and Le pazzie per amore (Rome, Carnival 1761), much instrumental music, including 14 sinfonias, chamber music, keyboard pieces, and various sacred vocal works.

(2) Paolo Orgitano, organist and composer, brother of the preceding; b. Naples, c. 1740; d. there, May 1796. He was made second substitute organist in 1776 and first organist in 1779 of the royal chapel in Naples. He also served as maestro di cappella straordinario at the Tesoro di S. Gennaro in Naples from 1777.

(3) Raffaele Orgitano, composer, son of (1) Vincenzo Orgitano; b. Naples, c. 1770; d. probably in Paris, 1812. He was a student of Sala at the Cons. della Pietà dei Turchini in Naples. In 1790 he was made maestro di cappella straordinario at the Tesoro di S. Gennaro and in 1791 organista soprannumerario of the royal chapel. In 1800 he went to Palermo, and later settled in Paris. He wrote the operas Non credere alle apparenze, ossia L’amore intraprendente (Venice, Oct. 10, 1801), Adelaide e Tebaldo (Venice, Dec. 27, 1801), Gli amanti al cimento (Rome, Carnival 1802), Amore ed interesse, ossia L’infermo ad arte (Naples, 1802), and Arsinoe (n.d.), as well as some sacred pieces.

—Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire