Carlo Coccia

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Carlo Coccia (14 April 1782, Naples - 13 April 1873, Novare) was an Italian opera composer. He was known for the genre of opera semiseria.

[edit] Life and career

Coccia studied in his native city with Casella, Fenarolli, and Paisiello, who introduced him to King Joseph Bonaparte for whom he became private musician. He wrote his first opera Il matrimonio per lettera di cambio in 1807, but it was a failure, however the following year, with the help of Paisiello, his second opera Il poeta fortunato was well received.

He then moved to Venice, where he concentrated on opera semiseria, of which Clotilde in 1815, is perhaps the best example. Accused of imitating other composers, and of producing to many uneven operas in great haste, and eventually eclipsed by the emerging Rossini, he left for Lisbon, where he remained from 1820 to 1823. He then settled in London in 1824, where he was conductor at His Majesty's Theatre. In 1827, he wrote Maria Stuarda for Giuditta Pasta, which was successful.

Back in Italy, he concentrated on opera seria, and obtained some success with Caterina di Guisa, in 1833, but by then he had to compete with the likes of Donizetti and Bellini.

He became Maitre de chapelle in Novara, in 1837, and director of the Music Conservatory of Turin, where he wrote his last opera in 1841.

[edit] Major works

• Caterina di Guisa (1833)

[edit] Sources

Le guide de l'opéra, les indispensables de la musique, R. Mancini & J-J. Rouveroux, (Fayard, 1986) ISBN 2-213-01563-6