Giuseppe Scarlatti
Giuseppe ( Germanized: Josef ) Scarlatti (* 1718 or June 18, 1723 in Naples, † August 17, 1777 in Vienna) was an Italian- Austrian composer.
Life
Giuseppe, claims to be a grandson of Alessandro Scarlatti and nephew of Domenico Scarlatti ( but this is not backed up), first wrote operas for theaters in Rome, Naples and Venice. In 1757 he settled in Vienna as a composer and piano teacher to settle permanently.
Today largely forgotten, was Giuseppe ( Joseph) Scarlatti not musically innovative, but an able composer in the style of his time. Especially in his comic operas he impressed by fresh, pleasing melodies. The libretti of his operas, over 30 came mostly by Pietro Metastasio (opera seria ) and Carlo Goldoni (opera buffa ). His works include three cantatas and harpsichord sonatas.
Da Domenico Scarlatti also introduced the name Giuseppe, it came in later times occasionally confusion. Arias from operas of Giuseppe Merope (Rome 1740) and Arminio in Germania (Florence 1741) were falsely attributed to Domenico partly. Likewise Giuseppe led stay in Naples 1754/55 to erroneous reports of a return Domenico Scarlatti there.
Works (selection)
- L' isola disabitata, Venice 1757, libretto by Carlo Goldoni; also listed in 1760 in Geneva under the title La Cinese smarrita
- Gli Stravaganti, Vienna, 1765, libretto by Alcindo Isaurense; also listed in 1768 in Vienna under the title La moglie padrona