Egidio Romualdo Duni (or ''Egide Romuald Duny''; 11 February 1708 – 11 June 1775) was an Italian

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

who studied in

Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...

and worked in

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

and

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, writing both Italian and French

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...

Biography

Born in

Matera Matera (, ; Materano: ) is a city in the region of Basilicata, in Southern Italy. As the capital of the province of Matera, its original settlement lies in two canyons carved by the Gravina River. This area, the Sassi di Matera, is a comple ...

, Duni was taught music by his father, Francesco Duni, and two sisters. At the age of nine, he was accepted at the ''Conservatorio di Santa Maria di Loreto'', near Naples. There he worked with

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Giovanni Battista Draghi (; 4 January 1710 – 16 or 17 March 1736), often referred to as Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (), was an Italian Baroque composer, violinist, and organist. His best-known works include his Stabat Mater and the opera ''L ...

Giovanni Paisiello Giovanni Paisiello (or Paesiello; 9 May 1740 – 5 June 1816) was an Italian composer of the Classical era, and was the most popular opera composer of the late 1700s. His operatic style influenced Mozart and Rossini. Life Paisiello was born in T ...

, and other masters of Italian opera. His first success was with the opera ''Nerone'' presented at the

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

Carnival in 1735. Thereafter he was in London (''Demofoonte'', 1737), returning to Italy where he eventually became ''maestro di cappella'' in

Parma Parma (; egl, Pärma, ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, Giuseppe Verdi, music, art, prosciutto (ham), Parmigiano-Reggiano, cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,292 ...

in 1749. The latter part of his career was spent in France where he played a key role in the development of the ''

comédie mêlée d'ariettes The French term ''comédie mêlée d'ariettes'' ('comedy mixed with little songs') was frequently used during the late ''ancien régime'' for certain types of '' opéra comique'' (French opera with spoken dialogue). The term became popular in th ...

'' (an early form of

opéra comique ''Opéra comique'' (; plural: ''opéras comiques'') is a genre of French opera that contains spoken dialogue and arias. It emerged from the popular '' opéras comiques en vaudevilles'' of the Fair Theatres of St Germain and St Laurent (and to a l ...

), with such works as ''

Le peintre amoureux de son modèle (''The Painter in Love with his Model'') is an '' opéra comique'' in two acts by the composer Egidio Duni with a libretto by Louis Anseaume. It was first performed at the Théâtre de la Foire Saint-Laurent in Paris on 26 July 1757. The Italia ...

'' (Paris, 1757), ''

La fée Urgèle ''La fée Urgèle, ou Ce qui plaît aux dames'' (''The Fairy Urgèle, or What Pleases Women'') is an ''opéra comique'' (specifically a ''comédie mêlée d'ariettes'') in four acts by the composer Egidio Duni. The libretto, by Charles-Simon Favar ...

'' (

Fontainebleau Fontainebleau (; ) is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the ''arrondissement ...

, 1765), and '' L'école de la jeunesse'' (Paris, 1765). He died in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

Works

Italian operas

*''Nerone'' (Rome, 1735) *''Adriano in Siria'' on a libretto by

Metastasio Pietro Antonio Domenico Trapassi (3 January 1698 – 12 April 1782), better known by his pseudonym of Pietro Metastasio (), was an Italian poet and librettist, considered the most important writer of ''opera seria'' libretti. Early life Me ...

(1735–1736) *''Giuseppe riconosciuto'' (1736) *''La tirannide debellata'' (1736) *''Demofoonte'' (London, 1737) *''Didone abbandonata'' (1739) *''Catone in Utica'' on a libretto by Metastasio (1740) *''Bajazet'' (1743) *''Artaserse'' (1744) *''Ipermestra'' (1748) *''Ciro riconosciuto'' (1748) *''L'Olimpiade'' (Parma, 1755) *''La buona figliuola'' (Parma, 1756) *''Alessandro nelle Indie'' on a libretto *''Adriano'' *''Demetrio''

French operas

*''Ninette à la cour'',

(1755) *''La chercheuse d'esprit'', Paris (1756) *''

'', Paris (1757) *''Le docteur Sangrado'', Saint Germain (1758) *''La fille mal gardée'', Paris (1758) *''La veuve indécise'', Paris (1759) *''L’isle de foux'', Paris (1760) *''Nina et Lindor'' (1761) *''Mazet'', Paris (1761) *''La bonne fille'', Paris (1762) *''Le retour au village'', Paris (1762) *''La plaidreuse et le procés'', Paris (1763) *''Le milicien'', Versailles (1763) *''Les deux chasseurs et la laitière'' (1763) *''Le rendez-vous'', Paris (1763) *'' L'école de la jeunesse'', Paris (1765) *''

'',

(1765) *''La clochette'', Paris (1766) *''Les moissonneurs'', Paris (1768) *''Les sabots'', Paris (1768) *''Themire'', Fontainebleau (1770)

References

*Warrack, John and West, Ewan (1992), ''The Oxford Dictionary of Opera'', 782 pages,

Notes

External links

Festival Duni

Sassi Web biography
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Duni, Egidio Romualdo 1708 births 1775 deaths People from Matera Italian male classical composers Italian Baroque composers Italian Classical-period composers Italian opera composers Male opera composers 18th-century Italian composers 18th-century Italian male musicians