Francisco António de Almeida
Encyclopedia
Francisco António de Almeida (fl. 1702–1752) was a Portuguese
composer
and organist
.
From 1722 to 1726 he was a royal scholar in Rome
. In 1724, Pier Leone Ghezzi
drew his caricature, describing him as "a young but excellent composer of concertos and church music who sang with extreme taste". He returned to Portugal in 1726, where he became organist of the Royal and Patriarchal Chapel.
In 1728
, the first of his serenatas, Il trionfo della virtù, was performed in Lisbon
at the palace of Cardinal
João da Mota e Silva. His comic opera
, La pazienza di Socrate, was performed at the royal palace in 1733
. It was the first Italian opera in Portugal. A contemporary diarist states that Almeida composed music for the popular performances of presépios (Nativity
scenes) in the Mouraria quarter of Lisbon. He probably died in the Lisbon earthquake of 1755.
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
.
From 1722 to 1726 he was a royal scholar in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. In 1724, Pier Leone Ghezzi
Pier Leone Ghezzi
Pier Leone Ghezzi was an Italian Rococo painter and caricaturist active in Rome.Ghezzi was born in Rome. His father, Giuseppe Ghezzi, , also trained Antonio Amorosi, and was a secretary to the Roman Accademia di San Luca...
drew his caricature, describing him as "a young but excellent composer of concertos and church music who sang with extreme taste". He returned to Portugal in 1726, where he became organist of the Royal and Patriarchal Chapel.
In 1728
1728 in music
- Events :*Giuseppe Tartini opens a school for violinists in Padua.*Johann Georg Pisendel begins studying composition under Johann David Heinichen.*Domenico Scarlatti returns to Rome, where he meets his first wife....
, the first of his serenatas, Il trionfo della virtù, was performed in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
at the palace of Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
João da Mota e Silva. His comic opera
Comic 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...
, La pazienza di Socrate, was performed at the royal palace in 1733
1733 in music
- Events :*Susannah Maria Arne makes her stage début in the first opera written by her brother, Thomas.*Wilhelm Friedemann Bach is appointed organist of St Sophia's Church, Dresden.*Jean-Marie Leclair becomes musical director to King Louis XV of France....
. It was the first Italian opera in Portugal. A contemporary diarist states that Almeida composed music for the popular performances of presépios (Nativity
Nativity of Jesus
The Nativity of Jesus, or simply The Nativity, refers to the accounts of the birth of Jesus in two of the Canonical gospels and in various apocryphal texts....
scenes) in the Mouraria quarter of Lisbon. He probably died in the Lisbon earthquake of 1755.
Some compositions
- Il pentimento di Davidde (componimento sacro), 1722
- La Giuditta (oratorio), 1726 (first modern performances of were in 1990, and it was described as a masterpiece)
- Il trionfo della virtù (componimento poetico), 1728
- Il trionfo d'amore (scherzo pastorale), 1729
- Gl'incanti d'Alcina (dramma per musicaDramma per musicaDramma per musica is a term which was used by dramatists in Italy and elsewhere between the late-17th and mid-19th centuries...
da cantarsi), 1730 - La SpinalbaLa SpinalbaLa Spinalba is an opera in three acts, with music by Francisco António de Almeida to an Italian-language libretto whose author is unknown...
, ovvero Il vecchio matto (dramma comico), 1739 - L’Ippolito (serenata), 1752