Vincenzo Calvesi
Encyclopedia
Vincenzo Calvesi was an Italian opera
tic tenor
and impresario
. A skillful lyric tenor, he began his career performing in opera house
s in Italy during the 1770s. He was active in Dresden in 1782 to 1783 and then spent most of his time performing in Vienna from 1785 to 1794. He is best remembered today for creating the role of Ferrando in the world premiere of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
's Così fan tutte
in 1790. That same year the Viennese publication Grundsätze zur Theaterkritik described him as "one of the best tenors from Italy…with a voice naturally sweet, pleasant and sonorous." He was later active in Rome as an impresario up until 1811.
s in Italy up through 1782. From 1782 to 1783 he sang in Dresden at the newly opened Kurfürstliches Hoftheater. In 1784 he appeared at La Scala
in the Milan premiere of Domenico Cimarosa
's Chi dell'altrui si veste presto si spogli. While performing in Italy he married the soprano Teresa Calvesi who specialized in comprimario
and soubrette
roles.
In 1785 Calvesi and his wife joined the roster of singers at the Burgtheater
in Vienna. Calvesi made his first appearance at that opera house as Sandrino in Giovanni Paisiello
's Il re Teodoro in 1785. In July of that year he created the role of Casimiro in the premiere of Stephen Storace
's Gli sposi malcontenti. On 8 January 1788 he performed the role of Atar in the premiere of Antonio Salieri
's Axur, re d'Ormus
opposite his wife as Fiammetta. Tesesa sang supporting roles in Vienna, often in productions with her husband, up through 1791; with Ippolito in Paisiello's Fedra being her greatest success. She was then active in theatres in London and Italy while her husband remained in Austria.
Calvesi continued to perform at the Burgtheater until 1794, with the exception of the majority of 1788, when he was at the Teatro di San Carlo
in Naples. He sang in several more world premieres at the Burgtheater, most notably portraying the role of Ferrando in the premiere of Mozart's Così fan tutte on 26 January 1790. Other roles he created in Vienna were Artemidoro in Salieri's La grotta di Trofonio
(12 October 1785), Eufemio of Syracuse in Storace's Gli equivoci
(27 December 1786), Prince Don Giovanni in Vicente Martín y Soler
's Una cosa rara
(17 November 1786), and Endimione in Soler's L'arbore di Diana
(1 October 1787). On 5 November 1785 he performed the part of the Count in the world premiere of Mozart's quartet Dite almeno, in che mancai, K. 479. He also sang in the premiere of Mozart's trio Mandina amabile, K. 480 on the following 21 November, which was written by Mozart for Francesco Bianchi
's La villanella rapita
.
In 1794 Calvesi retired from the stage and returned to his native Italy. Somewhere around 1796 he began working in Rome as an impresario. He was one of the city's leading organizers of concerts and theatrical events up through 1811. After that his whereabouts and activities are unknown.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
tic tenor
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...
and impresario
Impresario
An impresario is a person who organizes and often finances concerts, plays or operas; analogous to a film producer in filmmaking, television production and an angel investor in business...
. A skillful lyric tenor, he began his career performing in opera house
Opera house
An opera house is a theatre building used for opera performances that consists of a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and set building...
s in Italy during the 1770s. He was active in Dresden in 1782 to 1783 and then spent most of his time performing in Vienna from 1785 to 1794. He is best remembered today for creating the role of Ferrando in the world premiere of Wolfgang Amadeus 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 Così fan tutte
Così fan tutte
Così fan tutte, ossia La scuola degli amanti K. 588, is an opera buffa by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart first performed in 1790. The libretto was written by Lorenzo Da Ponte....
in 1790. That same year the Viennese publication Grundsätze zur Theaterkritik described him as "one of the best tenors from Italy…with a voice naturally sweet, pleasant and sonorous." He was later active in Rome as an impresario up until 1811.
Life and career
The exact place and time of Calvesi's birth, his musical education, and the details of his youth are now unknown. The first definite account of the singer was in 1777 for a series of performances in operas in Rome. He actively performed in comic operaComic opera
Comic opera denotes a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending.Forms of comic opera first developed in late 17th-century Italy. By the 1730s, a new operatic genre, opera buffa, emerged as an alternative to opera seria...
s in Italy up through 1782. From 1782 to 1783 he sang in Dresden at the newly opened Kurfürstliches Hoftheater. In 1784 he appeared at 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 the Milan premiere of Domenico Cimarosa
Domenico Cimarosa
Domenico Cimarosa was an Italian opera composer of the Neapolitan school...
's Chi dell'altrui si veste presto si spogli. While performing in Italy he married the soprano Teresa Calvesi who specialized in comprimario
Comprimario
A Comprimario is a supporting role in an opera. Derived from the Italian "con primario", or "with the primary", the term refers to a performer who sings small role pieces....
and soubrette
Soubrette
A soubrette is a female stock character in opera and theatre. The term arrived in English from Provençal via French, and means "conceited" or "coy".-Theater:...
roles.
In 1785 Calvesi and his wife joined the roster of singers at the Burgtheater
Burgtheater
The Burgtheater , originally known as K.K. Theater an der Burg, then until 1918 as the K.K. Hofburgtheater, is the Austrian National Theatre in Vienna and one of the most important German language theatres in the world.The Burgtheater was created in 1741 and has become known as "die Burg" by the...
in Vienna. Calvesi made his first appearance at that opera house as Sandrino in 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...
's Il re Teodoro in 1785. In July of that year he created the role of Casimiro in the premiere of Stephen Storace
Stephen Storace
Stephen Storace was an English composer. His sister was the famous opera singer Nancy Storace. He was born in London in the Parish of St Marylebone to an English mother and Italian father...
's Gli sposi malcontenti. On 8 January 1788 he performed the role of Atar in the premiere of Antonio Salieri
Antonio Salieri
Antonio Salieri was a Venetian classical composer, conductor and teacher born in Legnago, south of Verona, in the Republic of Venice, but who spent his adult life and career as a faithful subject of the Habsburg monarchy....
's Axur, re d'Ormus
Axur, re d'Ormus
Axur, re d'Ormus is an operatic dramma tragicomico in five acts by Antonio Salieri. The libretto was by Lorenzo da Ponte....
opposite his wife as Fiammetta. Tesesa sang supporting roles in Vienna, often in productions with her husband, up through 1791; with Ippolito in Paisiello's Fedra being her greatest success. She was then active in theatres in London and Italy while her husband remained in Austria.
Calvesi continued to perform at the Burgtheater until 1794, with the exception of the majority of 1788, when he was at the 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 Naples. He sang in several more world premieres at the Burgtheater, most notably portraying the role of Ferrando in the premiere of Mozart's Così fan tutte on 26 January 1790. Other roles he created in Vienna were Artemidoro in Salieri's La grotta di Trofonio
La grotta di Trofonio
La grotta di Trofonio is an opera, described as an opera comica, in two acts composed by Antonio Salieri to an Italian libretto by Giovanni Battista Casti....
(12 October 1785), Eufemio of Syracuse in Storace's Gli equivoci
Gli equivoci
Gli equivoci , is an opera buffa by Stephen Storace to a libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte, based on Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors....
(27 December 1786), Prince Don Giovanni in Vicente Martín y Soler
Vicente Martín y Soler
Vicente Martín y Soler was a Spanish composer of opera and ballet. Although relatively obscure today, in his own day he was compared favorably with his contemporary, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, as a composer of opera buffa. He has been called the Valencian Mozart.He was born in Valencia and studied...
's Una cosa rara
Una cosa rara
Una cosa rara, ossia Bellezza ed onestà is an opera by the composer Vicente Martín y Soler. It takes the form of a dramma giocoso in two acts. The libretto, by Lorenzo da Ponte, is based on the play La luna de la sierra by Luis Vélez de Guevara. The opera was first performed at the Burgtheater,...
(17 November 1786), and Endimione in Soler's L'arbore di Diana
L'arbore di Diana
L'arbore di Diana , is an opera composed in 1787 by Vicente Martín y Soler, with an original libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte.Da Ponte's only other libretto not taken from an existing plot was Così fan tutte....
(1 October 1787). On 5 November 1785 he performed the part of the Count in the world premiere of Mozart's quartet Dite almeno, in che mancai, K. 479. He also sang in the premiere of Mozart's trio Mandina amabile, K. 480 on the following 21 November, which was written by Mozart for Francesco Bianchi
Francesco Bianchi
Francesco Bianchi was an Italian painter of the Renaissance. He is also known as Francesco del Bianchi Ferrara, also called Il Frare) was an Italian painter of the Renaissance. He was born at Ferrara. Modena is also mentioned as the place of his birth. His works were much esteemed in his time. He...
's La villanella rapita
La villanella rapita
La villanella rapita is an opera giocosa in two acts by Francesco Bianchi. The libretto was by Giovanni Bertati.-Performance history:...
.
In 1794 Calvesi retired from the stage and returned to his native Italy. Somewhere around 1796 he began working in Rome as an impresario. He was one of the city's leading organizers of concerts and theatrical events up through 1811. After that his whereabouts and activities are unknown.