Biography
Errico Petrella was born in Palermo in 1813 and, from the age of eight, studied in Naples under teachers including Vincenzo Bellini and Nicola Zingarelli. After several early works met with little success, he broke through in 1851 with Il carnevale di Venezia; Marco Visconti (1854), L'assedio di Leida (1856) and finally Jone (1858) followed as a string of successes that made him, alongside Verdi, the most widely performed Italian opera composer of his time. His style combined the melodic tradition of the Neapolitan school with strong dramatic effect, remaining loyal to bel canto aesthetics rather than adopting Verdi's harmonic innovations. Petrella died impoverished in Genoa in 1877.
On Stagelog
Loading stats...