Giovanni Antonio Giay
Encyclopedia
Giovanni Antonio Giay (11 June 1690 - 10 September 1764) was an Italian
composer
. His compositional output includes 15 opera
s, 5 symphonies, and a significant amount of sacred music.
, Giaj's father, Stefano Giuseppe Giaj, was a chemist. His father died when he was 5 years old. In 1770 he entered the Collegio degli Innocenti at the Turin Cathedral where he studied music with Francesco Fasoli. His first opera
, Il trionfo d'Amore ossia La Fillide, premiered at the Teatro Carignano during Carnival
of 1715. In 1732 he succeeded Andrea Stefano Fiorè as the maestro di capella at the royal chapel in Turin at the behest of Charles Emmanuel III of Savoy. He remained in that post until his death 26 years later, after which his son, Francesco Saverio, took over the post from 1764 until 1798.
As master of Cappella Regia, Giovanni Antonio Giay wrote many religious and secular musical and opera
tic works. His work include Don Chisciotte in Venezia, an intermezzo
written in 1748-1752, with lyrics by Guiseppe Baretti. The lyrics feature Miguel Cervantes' characters don Quixote and Dulcinea
, during the carnival of Venice.
The biggest article on the period of activity of Giovanni Antonio Giay is "La situazione musicale a Torino al tempo dell’Artaserse" by Alberto Basso available in
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
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...
. His compositional output includes 15 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...
s, 5 symphonies, and a significant amount of sacred music.
Life and career
Born in TurinTurin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Giaj's father, Stefano Giuseppe Giaj, was a chemist. His father died when he was 5 years old. In 1770 he entered the Collegio degli Innocenti at the Turin Cathedral where he studied music with Francesco Fasoli. His first 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...
, Il trionfo d'Amore ossia La Fillide, premiered at the Teatro Carignano during Carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
of 1715. In 1732 he succeeded Andrea Stefano Fiorè as the maestro di capella at the royal chapel in Turin at the behest of Charles Emmanuel III of Savoy. He remained in that post until his death 26 years later, after which his son, Francesco Saverio, took over the post from 1764 until 1798.
As master of Cappella Regia, Giovanni Antonio Giay wrote many religious and secular musical and 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...
tic works. His work include Don Chisciotte in Venezia, an intermezzo
Intermezzo
In music, an intermezzo , in the most general sense, is a composition which fits between other musical or dramatic entities, such as acts of a play or movements of a larger musical work...
written in 1748-1752, with lyrics by Guiseppe Baretti. The lyrics feature Miguel Cervantes' characters don Quixote and Dulcinea
Dulcinea
"Dulcinea del Toboso" is a fictional character who is referred to in Miguel de Cervantes' novel Don Quixote. Seeking the traditions of the knights-errant of old, Don Quixote finds a true love whom he calls Dulcinea. She is a simple peasant in his home town, but Quixote imagines her to be the most...
, during the carnival of Venice.
The biggest article on the period of activity of Giovanni Antonio Giay is "La situazione musicale a Torino al tempo dell’Artaserse" by Alberto Basso available in