Gaspar Villate
Encyclopedia
Gaspar Villate was a Cuban
composer
who produced abundant and wide-ranging work, mostly centered on opera
.
Villate was born in (Havana
. After writing the score of Angelo, tirano de Padua, he and his family emigrated to the USA in 1868 when war broke out in Cuba, returning in 1871. He now composed a second opera, Las primeras armas de Richelieu. Sent to Paris to complete his studies, he wrote various contradanzas when he returned.
He spent much of his life in Europe, but also wrote creole works La virgen tropical and Adios a Cuba. His eight waltzes, his Soirées cubaines, and his romances were appreciated in Parisian salons. He wrote scores for La Czarina, premiered in the Royal Theatre of Le Havre, and Baltazar, at the Royal Theatre of Madrid. He died in Paris
.
Villate was a close friend of Verdi, and no doubt was influenced by him: Villate's work became European in taste. Despite this, his creole contradanzas are held in higher esteem today.
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
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...
who produced abundant and wide-ranging work, mostly centered on opera
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...
.
Villate was born in (Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
. After writing the score of Angelo, tirano de Padua, he and his family emigrated to the USA in 1868 when war broke out in Cuba, returning in 1871. He now composed a second opera, Las primeras armas de Richelieu. Sent to Paris to complete his studies, he wrote various contradanzas when he returned.
He spent much of his life in Europe, but also wrote creole works La virgen tropical and Adios a Cuba. His eight waltzes, his Soirées cubaines, and his romances were appreciated in Parisian salons. He wrote scores for La Czarina, premiered in the Royal Theatre of Le Havre, and Baltazar, at the Royal Theatre of Madrid. He died in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
Villate was a close friend of Verdi, and no doubt was influenced by him: Villate's work became European in taste. Despite this, his creole contradanzas are held in higher esteem today.