Francesco Azopardi
Encyclopedia
Francesco Azopardi (Notabile, May 5 1748 - Rabat
, Feb. 1809) was a Maltese
composer and music theorist.
at the Conservatory of San Onofrio under Carlo Cotumacci and Joseph Doll. He worked at St. Paul's Cathedral, Mdina
, and, from 1789 following the Napoleonic invasion and flight of the Knights of St. John, combined his responsibilities at Mdina with those at St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta
. One of his successes was a setting of Metastasio
's libretto La Passione di Gesù Cristo
he conducted at the Manoel Theatre
in Valletta in 1782.
He is known especially through his work Il Musico Prattico, which appeared in French translation by Nicholas Etienne Framéry.
Rabat
Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000...
, Feb. 1809) was a Maltese
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
composer and music theorist.
Life and career
Azopardi received his musical training in Malta and during his stay from 1763 to 1774 in NaplesNaples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
at the Conservatory of San Onofrio under Carlo Cotumacci and Joseph Doll. He worked at St. Paul's Cathedral, Mdina
St. Paul's Cathedral, Mdina
St. Paul's Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the city of Mdina, in Malta. It is built on the site where governor Publius was reported to have met Saint Paul following his shipwreck off the Maltese coast.-History:...
, and, from 1789 following the Napoleonic invasion and flight of the Knights of St. John, combined his responsibilities at Mdina with those at St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta
Valletta
Valletta is the capital of Malta, colloquially known as Il-Belt in Maltese. It is located in the central-eastern portion of the island of Malta, and the historical city has a population of 6,098. The name "Valletta" is traditionally reserved for the historic walled citadel that serves as Malta's...
. One of his successes was a setting of Metastasio
Metastasio
Pietro Antonio Domenico Trapassi, better known by his pseudonym of Metastasio, was an Italian poet and librettist, considered the most important writer of opera seria libretti.-Early life:...
's libretto La Passione di Gesù Cristo
La passione di Gesù Cristo
La Passione di Gesù Cristo is the title of a libretto by Metastasio which was repeatedly set as an azione sacra or oratorio by many composers of the late baroque, "rococo", and early classical period.-Writing and original setting:...
he conducted at the Manoel Theatre
Manoel Theatre
The Manoel Theatre is reputed to be Europe's third-oldest working theatre, and the oldest working theatre in the Commonwealth of Nations...
in Valletta in 1782.
He is known especially through his work Il Musico Prattico, which appeared in French translation by Nicholas Etienne Framéry.
Secular music
- Malta felice (cantataCantataA cantata is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir....
, 1775) - La magica lanterna (opera buffaOpera buffaOpera buffa is a genre of opera. It was first used as an informal description of Italian comic operas variously classified by their authors as ‘commedia in musica’, ‘commedia per musica’, ‘dramma bernesco’, ‘dramma comico’, ‘divertimento giocoso' etc...
, 1791)
Sacred vocal music
- La passione di Cristo (oratorioOratorioAn oratorio is a large musical composition including an orchestra, a choir, and soloists. Like an opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias...
, librettoLibrettoA libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
by Pietro Metastasio, 1782, 1802) - Various masses composed between 1768 and 1806
- Various sacred works composed between 1772 and 1796
- Songs, hymns and psalms composed between 1772 and 1807
Instrumental music
- Overture for 2 oboes, 2 violins, 2 horns, bass, and organ (1782)
- Sinfonia for 2 oboes, 2 violins, 2 violas, horn and basso continuo (1797)
- Sinfonia for oboe obbligato, oboe, 2 violins, 2 horns and basso continuo (1799)
Treatises
- Il musico prattico
- Dissertazione sulla risoluzione della quinta falsa in 6/4 rivolto dell'armonia di 5/3
- Dissertazione sulla musica greca
Selected recordings
- Les manuscrits de Malte 3 - Oeuvres de Francesco Azopardi: Lauda Sion. Assumpta est. Beatus Vir. Confitebor. Dixit Dominus. Maîtrise des Bouches du Rhône, leader Jeannine Prosper, Jeune Ensemble Baroque de Provence, dir. Giuseppe Dellavalle. Studio SM, Paris. 1998.