Gaetano Crivelli
Encyclopedia
Gaetano Crivelli was a famous Italian tenor
.
Although he was born not actually in Bergamo but in neighbouring Brescia
, Crivelli can be regarded as one of the founders of that remarkable Bergamo tenor school which, beginning with Giacomo David
and proceeding through such singers as Giovanni David
, Andrea Nozzari
, Domenico Donzelli
and Marco Bordogni
, culminated in the great Giovanni Battista Rubini
.
Crivelli, a baritonal tenor in the eighteenth century’s Italian manner, made his first public appearance rather late, aged 28, in his native town. He sang in several other Italian theatres before his début at Milan’s La Scala
in 1805, in the première of Mayr’s opera Eraldo ed Emma. He appeared in the Italian première of Mozart
's La clemenza di Tito
at Naples's Teatro di San Carlo
, in 1809. Crivelli then moved to Paris, where, at the Théâtre des Italiens
in 1811, he performed what was probably his best-suited opera, Pirro by Giovanni Paisiello
: he afterwards performed it with lesser success in London. Despite this lack of success he gave England an important legacy in the form of his son Domenico
, who settled permanently there, first as a singer and later as a singing teacher, a prominent figure in English musical life of that period.
Having returned to Italy, Gaetano pursued his career for several years mainly in the northern theatres, as for example at La Scala, where he sang in La clemenza di Tito at its 1818 revival, or at Venice’s La Fenice
, where he played opposite Giuditta Pasta
in the first performance of Giuseppe Nicolini
’s La conquista di Granata; in 1821, opposite the prima-donna Francesca Maffei Festa, in the première of Saverio Mercadante
’s opera Andronico; and in 1824 in the first performance of Meyerbeer
's Il crociato in Egitto
, the last major opera with a role for a castrato (played then by Giovanni Battista Velluti).
In his long career Crivelli distinguished himself principally for his capability to exploit to the full his bari-tenor qualities of quivering and passionate accent and expressive vigour, rather than for any florid virtuosity. Thus he made a remarkable contribution to the first 19th century belcanto revival which was about to inspire the golden age of singing for which Rossini composed. He was not, however, a leading figure within that revival, perhaps because he lacked an acrobatic virtuoso technique. He died in Brescia.
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
.
Although he was born not actually in Bergamo but in neighbouring Brescia
Brescia
Brescia is a city and comune in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, between the Mella and the Naviglio, with a population of around 197,000. It is the second largest city in Lombardy, after the capital, Milan...
, Crivelli can be regarded as one of the founders of that remarkable Bergamo tenor school which, beginning with Giacomo David
Giacomo David
Giacomo David , was a leading Italian tenor of the late 18th and early 19th centuries.-Biography:...
and proceeding through such singers as Giovanni David
Giovanni David
Giovanni David was an Italian tenor particularly known for his roles in Rossini operas....
, Andrea Nozzari
Andrea Nozzari
Andrea Nozzari was an Italian tenor.Nozzari was born in Vertova and studied in Bergamo and Rome. He is notable for the principal roles written for him by Gioachino Rossini and mostly premiered in Domenico Barbaia's theatres in Naples...
, Domenico Donzelli
Domenico Donzelli
Domenico Donzelli was an Italian tenor with a robust voice who enjoyed an important career in Paris, London and his native country during the 1808-1841 period.-Biography:...
and Marco Bordogni
Marco Bordogni
Giulio Marco Bordogni , usually called Marco Bordogni, was an Italian operatic tenor and singing teacher of great popularity and success, whose mature career was based in Paris.-Biography:...
, culminated in the great Giovanni Battista Rubini
Giovanni Battista Rubini
Giovanni Battista Rubini was an Italian tenor, as famous in his time as Enrico Caruso in a later day. His ringing and expressive coloratura dexterity in the highest register of his voice, the tenorino, inspired the writing of operatic roles which today are almost impossible to cast...
.
Crivelli, a baritonal tenor in the eighteenth century’s Italian manner, made his first public appearance rather late, aged 28, in his native town. He sang in several other Italian theatres before his début at Milan’s La Scala
La Scala
La Scala , is a world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala...
in 1805, in the première of Mayr’s opera Eraldo ed Emma. He appeared in the Italian première of Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
's La clemenza di Tito
La clemenza di Tito
La clemenza di Tito , K. 621, is an opera seria in two acts composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Caterino Mazzolà, after Metastasio...
at Naples's Teatro di San Carlo
Teatro di San Carlo
The Real Teatro di San Carlo is an opera house in Naples, Italy. It is the oldest continuously active such venue in Europe.Founded by the Bourbon Charles VII of Naples of the Spanish branch of the dynasty, the theatre was inaugurated on 4 November 1737 — the king's name day — with a performance...
, in 1809. Crivelli then moved to Paris, where, at the Théâtre des Italiens
Comédie-Italienne
Over time, there have been several buildings and several theatrical companies named the "Théâtre-Italien" or the "Comédie-Italienne" in Paris. Following the times, the theatre has shown both plays and operas...
in 1811, he performed what was probably his best-suited opera, Pirro by Giovanni Paisiello
Giovanni Paisiello
Giovanni Paisiello was an Italian composer of the Classical era.-Life:Paisiello was born at Taranto and educated by the Jesuits there. He became known for his beautiful singing voice and in 1754 was sent to the Conservatorio di S. Onofrio at Naples, where he studied under Francesco Durante, and...
: he afterwards performed it with lesser success in London. Despite this lack of success he gave England an important legacy in the form of his son Domenico
Domenico Crivelli
Domenico Francesco Maria Crivelli , often referred to simply as Signor Crivelli was an Italian born English opera singer and singing teacher....
, who settled permanently there, first as a singer and later as a singing teacher, a prominent figure in English musical life of that period.
Having returned to Italy, Gaetano pursued his career for several years mainly in the northern theatres, as for example at La Scala, where he sang in La clemenza di Tito at its 1818 revival, or at Venice’s La Fenice
La Fenice
Teatro La Fenice is an opera house in Venice, Italy. It is one of the most famous theatres in Europe, the site of many famous operatic premieres. Its name reflects its role in permitting an opera company to "rise from the ashes" despite losing the use of two theatres...
, where he played opposite Giuditta Pasta
Giuditta Pasta
Giuditta Angiola Maria Costanza Pasta , born in Saronno, Italy, was a soprano considered among the greatest of opera singers, to whom the 20th-century soprano Maria Callas was compared.-Studies and career:...
in the first performance of Giuseppe Nicolini
Giuseppe Nicolini
Giuseppe Nicolini was an Italian composer who wrote at least 45 operas. From 1819 onwards, he devoted himself primarily to religious music...
’s La conquista di Granata; in 1821, opposite the prima-donna Francesca Maffei Festa, in the première of Saverio Mercadante
Saverio Mercadante
Giuseppe Saverio Raffaele Mercadante was an Italian composer, particularly of operas. While Mercadante may not have retained the international celebrity of Gaetano Donizetti or Gioachino Rossini beyond his own lifetime, he composed as impressive a number of works as either; and his development of...
’s opera Andronico; and in 1824 in the first performance of Meyerbeer
Giacomo Meyerbeer
Giacomo Meyerbeer was a noted German opera composer, and the first great exponent of "grand opera." At his peak in the 1830s and 1840s, he was the most famous and successful composer of opera in Europe, yet he is rarely performed today.-Early years:He was born to a Jewish family in Tasdorf , near...
's Il crociato in Egitto
Il crociato in Egitto
Il crociato in Egitto is an opera in two acts by Giacomo Meyerbeer, with a libretto by Gaetano Rossi. It was first performed at La Fenice theatre, Venice on 7 March, 1824. The part of Armando was sung by the famous castrato, Giovanni Battista Velluti; the opera was probably the last ever written...
, the last major opera with a role for a castrato (played then by Giovanni Battista Velluti).
In his long career Crivelli distinguished himself principally for his capability to exploit to the full his bari-tenor qualities of quivering and passionate accent and expressive vigour, rather than for any florid virtuosity. Thus he made a remarkable contribution to the first 19th century belcanto revival which was about to inspire the golden age of singing for which Rossini composed. He was not, however, a leading figure within that revival, perhaps because he lacked an acrobatic virtuoso technique. He died in Brescia.
Sources
- Caruselli, Salvatore (ed.), Grande enciclopedia della musica lirica, Longanesi &C. Periodici S.p.A., Roma, ad nomen
- This article is a substantial translation from Gaetano Crivelli in the Italian Wikipedia.