Domenico Cimarosa (Cimarosa Domenico)

(1749-1801)
Cimarosa was born December 17, 1749 in Avers. He was the son of a poor mason and laundresses. In 1756 the family settled in Naples, Cimarosa. Soon after his father passed away, and Domenico was sent to a monastery school in Pendino. In 1761 he gained access to the Conservatory "Santa Maria di Loreto '(the oldest of the four famous Neapolitan conservatories). Here Cimarosa studied music, primarily playing the violin, harpsichord and singing. In 1772 he married Gaetan Pallas, the daughter of a wealthy music impresario. Gaetan died a year later, and on further developments in the life of Cimarosa almost nothing is known. Apparently, he almost immediately entered into a second marriage. In any case, his new girlfriend (probably second wife) gave birth to two children and died shortly afterwards. Cimarosa's third wife died in 1796, giving him a son, Paolo.
First opera Cimarosa Fads Count (Le stravaganze del conte) was set in Naples in 1772. Thereafter, he lived alternately in Rome and Naples, making some trips to the North, wrote and staged operas and was soon recognized as a major contender Paisiello, in the era of Italian opera coryphaeus.

In 1787, Cimarosa was invited by the court composer to the court of the Russian Empress Catherine II. First order, which he received on arrival in St. Petersburg, became a requiem on the death of his wife of the Neapolitan Ambassador. During the four years he spent in Russia, Cimarosa, he wrote five great operas and many works in other genres. In 1791, asked permission to return home because of health upset, but because Russia did not go to Italy and to Vienna, where he was appointed court Kapellmeister (replacing A. Salieri). In Vienna, appeared the most famous opera Cimarosa Secret Marriage (Il matrimonio segreto, 1792).

In 1793 Cimarosa finally reached Naples, where he had spent in poverty last years. Inspired by the ideas of the French Revolution, the composer enthusiastically greeted the proclamation of the republic in Naples, carried out with the support of the French army, and even composed for the occasion patriotic anthem. When a few months later the monarchy was restored, the composer was accused of collaboration with the invaders, imprisoned, and his portrait was symbolically burned. King Ferdinand had mercy on him, but the condition was an immediate departure from Italy. Cimarosa had again to go to St. Petersburg, where he had once shone, but the way the musician died. The rumor that Cimarosa was poisoned, has spread so widely that the Neapolitan authorities sent a special doctor for compiling the official record of the composer's death.

In legacy Cimarosa 66 operas, 10 cantatas, 4 political anthem, 40 sonatas for harpsichord concerto for two flutes, 8 duets, 3 oratorios, requiem, requiem mass, Credo, and many other works in the church genres.

The major advantages are its music Cimarosa vitality, creativity, fun and sparkling brilliant orchestration. The main contribution to the development of the opera composer of the genre - the introduction of the final ensembles, summarizing the development of a painting or act.