Role

:

Composer Conductor Performer

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

July 7, 1911 in Cadegliano-Viconago, Italy

Death

:

February 1, 2007 in Monte Carlo, Monaco

Period

:

Contemporary

 

 

Modern

Genre

:

Ballet

 

 

Chamber

 

 

Choral

 

 

Concerto

 

 

Keyboard

 

 

Opera

 

 

Orchestral

 

 

Symphony

 

 

Vocal

 

Gian Carlo Menotti was an Italian-American composer and librettist who was born on July 7, 1911, in Cadegliano-Viconago, Italy. He was the sixth of eight children born to Alfonso Menotti and Ines Menotti. His father was a coffee merchant, and his mother was a talented amateur musician who played the piano and sang. Menotti's family was musically inclined, and he began playing the piano at a young age. Menotti's family moved to the United States in 1928, and he enrolled at Philadelphia's Curtis Institute of Music. He studied composition with Rosario Scalero and piano with Josef Hofmann. Menotti was a gifted student, and he won the Curtis Institute's annual composition prize in 1933 and 1934. Menotti's first major success as a composer came in 1937 with his opera "Amelia Goes to the Ball." The opera was premiered at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City and was well-received by audiences and critics alike. Menotti's success continued with his next opera, "The Old Maid and the Thief," which was premiered on NBC radio in 1939. The opera was a hit with radio audiences and was later adapted for the stage. In 1944, Menotti founded the Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy. The festival was designed to bring together artists from both Europe and America and to showcase their work. The festival was a great success, and it continues to this day. Menotti's most famous work is probably his Christmas opera, "Amahl and the Night Visitors." The opera was commissioned by NBC and was first broadcast on television in 1951. The opera tells the story of a young boy named Amahl who meets the Three Wise Men on their way to Bethlehem. The opera was an instant hit and has become a holiday classic. Menotti continued to compose throughout his life, and his works include operas, ballets, chamber music, and choral works. Some of his other notable works include "The Consul," which won the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1950, "The Saint of Bleecker Street," and "The Medium." Menotti was known for his melodic and accessible style, and his works often dealt with themes of love, loss, and redemption. He was also known for his skill as a librettist, and he wrote the libretti for most of his own operas. Menotti died on February 1, 2007, at the age of 95. He was a prolific composer who left behind a rich legacy of music. His works continue to be performed and enjoyed by audiences around the world.

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