Michele Canzio (1788–1868) was an Italian architect and painter, best known as stage designer for the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa. He also designed a remarkable garden at the Villa Durazzo-Pallavicini. [1]
Canzio was born in Genoa, where at age 17 he designed Napoleon's triumphal arch. His activities in stage design began in 1818 at the Teatro di Sant'Agostino for "Matrimonio segreto" by Domenico Cimarosa, followed in 1819 by Rossini's "Aureliano in Palmira".
When the Teatro Carlo Felice was constructed, Canzio aided in its design, as well as the design for its inaugural ballet, "Gli adoratori del fuoco". From 1832 to 1836, and again from 1850 to 1854, he served as the theater's impresario, as well as serving as its principal stage designer until 1850. [2] Canzio also oversaw Genoa's decorations for the marriage of Vittorio Emanuele to Maria Adelaide of Austria (1842), as well as palazzi (Palazzo Reale in via Balbi, 1842), churches (San Donato, 1846), and gardens. He served as director of the school of ornament at the Accademia Ligustica from 1827 to 1867.
Aldo Rossi was an Italian architect and designer who achieved international recognition in four distinct areas: architectural theory, drawing and design and also product design. He was one of the leading proponents of the postmodern movement.
Lorenzo Salvi was an Italian operatic tenor who had a major international opera career during the nineteenth century. He was particularly associated with the operas of Gaetano Donizetti and Giuseppe Verdi; notably singing lead roles is several world premieres by both composers.
Giuseppe Felice Romani was an Italian poet and scholar of literature and mythology who wrote many librettos for the opera composers Donizetti and Bellini. Romani was considered the finest Italian librettist between Metastasio and Boito.
The Music of Liguria flourished in the 19th century for a number of reasons. The capital city of Genoa, a major port, aspired to recognition as a cultural center more in keeping with its role as a major city in the history of the Risorgimento, the political, social, and military movement that eventually led to the unification of the modern nation state of Italy.
The music of Genoa includes a number of important musical venues. Genoa, a major port, is the capital of the region of Liguria and in the 19th century aspired to recognition as a cultural center more in keeping with its role as a major city in the history of the Risorgimento, the political, social, and military movement that eventually led to the unification of the modern nation state of Italy.
Bianca e Fernando is an opera in two acts by Vincenzo Bellini.
The Villa Durazzo-Pallavicini is a villa with notable 19th-century park in the English romantic style and a small botanical garden. The villa now houses the Museo di Archeologia Ligure, and is located at Via Pallavicini 13, immediately next to the railway station in Pegli, a suburb of Genoa, Italy. The park and botanical garden are open daily except mondays.
The Teatro Carlo Felice is the principal opera house of Genoa, Italy, used for performances of opera, ballet, orchestral music, and recitals. It is located on the side of Piazza De Ferrari.
The Galli–Bibiena family, or Galli da Bibiena, was a family of Italian artists of the 17th and 18th centuries, including:
Piazza De Ferrari is the main square of Genoa. Situated in the heart of the city between the historical and the modern center, Piazza De Ferrari is renowned for its fountain, which was restored in recent years along with a major restyling of the square.
Lorenzo "Renzo" Mongiardino was an Italian architect, interior designer and production designer. He was nominated for two Academy Awards in the category Best Art Direction.
Angelo Maurizio Gaspare Mariani was an Italian opera conductor and composer. His work as a conductor drew praise from Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Meyerbeer, Gioachino Rossini and Richard Wagner, and he was a longtime personal friend of Verdi's, although they had a falling out towards the end of Mariani's life. He conducted at least two world premieres ; and at least 4 Italian premieres.
Eugenia Tadolini was an Italian operatic soprano. Admired for the beauty of her voice and stage presence, she was one of Donizetti's favourite singers. During her career she created over 20 leading roles, including the title roles in Donizetti's Linda di Chamounix and Maria di Rohan and Verdi's Alzira. She was born in Forlì and studied music there and in Bologna before making her debut in Florence in 1828. She sang in all of Italy's leading opera houses, as well as in Paris, Vienna, and London before retiring from the stage in 1852. She spent her remaining years first in Naples, where she had been the Teatro San Carlo's reigning prima donna for many years, and then in Paris, where she died of typhoid fever at the age of 63. From 1827 to 1834, she was married to the Italian composer and singing teacher, Giovanni Tadolini.
Antonio Cagnoni was an Italian composer. Primarily known for his twenty operas, his work is characterized by his use of leitmotifs and moderately dissonant harmonies. In addition to writing music for the stage, he composed a modest amount of sacred music, most notably a Requiem in 1888. He also contributed the third movement, Quid sum miser, to the Messa per Rossini, a collaborative work created by thirteen composers to honor Gioacchino Rossini.
Carlo Barabino was a prominent Italian architect of the Neoclassic period, active mainly in his native Genoa. He was a pupil of Giuseppe Barbieri. Barabino became the City Architect of Genoa in 1818. He designed the original Teatro Carlo Felice Opera House in Genoa; facade rebuilt after destruction in World War II. He also built the Palazzo Dell'Accademia in Genoa, and the facades of Santa Maria Assunta, Genoa (Carignano), San Siro, and the Basilica della Santissima Annunziata del Vastato. He established the plan for the Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno in Genoa.
Corrado Miraglia was an Italian operatic tenor and in his later years a voice teacher and theatrical agent. He is best known today for having created the role of Ismaele in Verdi's opera Nabucco, although he sang in the world premieres of several other lesser-known works. He was married to the opera singer Giuseppina Brambilla.
Genoa is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2023, 558,745 people lived within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan area has 813,626 inhabitants, more than 1.5 million people live in the wider metropolitan area stretching along the Italian Riviera.
Ugo Benelli is an Italian operatic tenor. Born in Genoa and trained at La Scala, Benelli had an international career singing leading tenore di grazia roles from the early 1960s through the 1980s. In his later years he sang character roles and began a career as a singing teacher. He retired from the stage in 2004.
Raimonda Gaetani is an Italian stage set and costume designer.
Ettore Perosio was an Italian composer and conductor.