Alfredo Catalani facts for kids
Alfredo Catalani (born June 19, 1854 – died August 7, 1893) was an Italian composer who wrote operas. He is most famous for his operas Loreley (from 1890) and La Wally (from 1892).
La Wally is especially well-known. It includes his most famous song, called an "aria," titled "Ebben? Ne andrò lontana." This song became very popular after it was featured in the 1981 movie Diva.
Life of Alfredo Catalani
Alfredo Catalani was born in Lucca, Italy. He came from a family that loved music. He studied music at the Milan Conservatory, a famous music school. One of his teachers was Antonio Bazzini.
During the 1880s and early 1890s, a new style of opera called verismo was becoming popular. This style focused on more realistic stories and characters. However, Catalani chose to write his operas in a more traditional way. His style sometimes showed influences from composers like Richard Wagner.
Because of his traditional style, most of Catalani's operas are not performed very often today. La Wally is the main exception. Other composers like Jules Massenet and Giacomo Puccini wrote operas that are still very popular. Catalani felt a bit jealous of Puccini's success.
Another composer, Amilcare Ponchielli, also influenced Catalani's music. Like Ponchielli, Catalani is mostly remembered for just one opera. While La Wally is sometimes performed, Ponchielli's opera La Gioconda has always been more popular.
Catalani sadly died young in 1893 from tuberculosis. He was buried in the Cimitero Monumentale in Milan. This is the same cemetery where Ponchielli and the famous conductor Arturo Toscanini are buried. Toscanini greatly admired Catalani's music. He even named one of his daughters Wally, after Catalani's opera.
Almost 90 years after Catalani's death, his music became famous again. This happened in 1981 when the movie Diva was released. The movie used the famous aria from La Wally, making it known to many new people.
Operas by Catalani
- La falce ("The Sickle"), first performed in Milan in 1875
- Elda, first performed in Turin in 1880 (later changed and became Loreley)
- Dejanice, first performed in Milan in 1883
- Edmea, first performed in Milan in 1886
- Loreley, first performed in Turin in 1890
- La Wally, first performed in Milan in 1892
Symphonic Works
- Sinfonia a piena orchestra ("Symphony for Full Orchestra"), written in 1872
- Il Mattino, sinfonia romantica ("Morning", Romantic symphony), written in 1874
- Ero e Leandro, poema sinfonico ("Hero and Leander", Symphonic tone poem), first performed in Milan in 1885
See also
In Spanish: Alfredo Catalani para niños
