Giovanni Schmidt
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Giovanni Schmidt ( in
Livorno Livorno () is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of 158,493 residents in December 2017. It is traditionally known in English as Leghorn (pronou ...
– 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 ...
) was an Italian
librettist A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major litu ...
.


Life

He moved to
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 ...
while he was still young and stayed there for the rest of his life. Between 1800 and 1839 he wrote libretti for 45 operas, especially for the
Teatro San Carlo The Real Teatro di San Carlo ("Royal Theatre of Saint Charles"), as originally named by the Bourbon monarchy but today known simply as the Teatro (di) San Carlo, is an opera house in Naples, Italy, connected to the Royal Palace and adjacent t ...
for which he was the official poet. He and
Andrea Leone Tottola Andrea Leone Tottola (died 15 September 1831) was a prolific Italian librettist, best known for his work with Gaetano Donizetti and Gioachino Rossini. It is not known when or where he was born. He became the official poet to the royal theatres ...
were the two librettists who dominated theatrical life in Naples in the first quarter of the 19th century. His lyrics were mostly banal and verbose, but were set by the most important composers of the era, such as
Giacomo Tritto Giacomo Domenico Mario Antonio Pasquale Giuseppe Tritto (2 April 1733 – 16 September 1824) was an Italian composer, known primarily for his fifty-four operas. He was born in Altamura, and studied in Naples; among his teachers were Nicola F ...
, Gaetano Andreozzi,
Luigi Mosca Luigi Mosca (1775 – 30 November 1824) was Italian composer of operas and sacred music and a noted singing teacher. He composed eighteen operas, most of which were originally for theatres in Naples, but played throughout Italy in their day. Biog ...
,
Pietro Generali Pietro Generali (born Mercandetti Generali; 23 October 1773 – 3 November 1832) was an Italian composer primarily of operas and vocal music. Generali was born in Masserano. He studied counterpoint with Giovanni Masi in Rome and spent a few m ...
,
Saverio Mercadante Giuseppe Saverio Raffaele Mercadante (baptised 17 September 179517 December 1870) was an Italian composer, particularly of operas. While Mercadante may not have retained the international celebrity of Gaetano Donizetti or Gioachino Rossini beyond ...
and
Gioachino Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer who gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano pieces, and some sacred music. He set new standards f ...
. For Rossini alone he wrote texts for ''
Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra ''Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra'' (; ''Elizabeth, Queen of England'') is a ''dramma per musica'' or opera in two acts by Gioachino Rossini to a libretto by Giovanni Schmidt, from the play ''Il paggio di Leicester'' (''Leicester's Page'') by C ...
'', ''
Eduardo e Cristina ''Eduardo e Cristina'' () is an operatic ''dramma'' in two acts by Gioachino Rossini to an Italian libretto originally written by Giovanni Schmidt for ''Odoardo e Cristina'' (1810), an opera by Stefano Pavesi, and adapted for Rossini by Andrea L ...
'', ''
Armida Armida is the fictional character of a Saracen sorceress, created by the Italian late Renaissance poet Torquato Tasso. Description In Tasso's epic ''Jerusalem Delivered'' ( it, Gerusalemme liberata, link=no), Rinaldo is a fierce and determ ...
'' and ''
Adelaide di Borgogna ''Adelaide di Borgogna, ossia Ottone, re d'Italia'' (''Adelaide of Burgundy, or Otto, King of Italy'') is a two-act opera composed by Gioachino Rossini (with contributions by Michele Carafa) to a libretto by Giovanni Schmidt. It was premièred ...
'', which are considered his best works. He also appeared as a character in a scene from the
1991 File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the Phil ...
film ''
Rossini! Rossini! ''Rossini! Rossini!'' is a 1991 Italian biographical film written and directed by Mario Monicelli. It depicts real life events of composer Gioachino Rossini. Monicelli replaced Robert Altman, who was experiencing differences with the producers. ...
'' directed by
Mario Monicelli Mario Alberto Ettore Monicelli (; 16 May 1915 – 29 November 2010) was an Italian film director and screenwriter and one of the masters of the ''Commedia all'Italiana'' (Comedy Italian style). He was nominated six times for an Oscar, and was awa ...
.


Works


Libretti

*''Meleagro'' (opera seria; music by
Nicola Antonio Zingarelli Nicola may refer to: People * Nicola (name), including a list of people with the given name or, less commonly, the surname **Nicola (artist) or Nicoleta Alexandru, singer who represented Romania at the 2003 Eurovision Song Contest * Nicola people ...
, 1798) *''Idante ovvero I sacrifici d'Eccate'' (dramma per musica; music by Marcos António Portugal, 1800) *''Gli americani'' (opera seria; music by
Giacomo Tritto Giacomo Domenico Mario Antonio Pasquale Giuseppe Tritto (2 April 1733 – 16 September 1824) was an Italian composer, known primarily for his fifty-four operas. He was born in Altamura, and studied in Naples; among his teachers were Nicola F ...
; 1802) *''Piramo e Tisbe'' (opera seria; music by Gaetano Andreozzi, 1803) *'' Leonora'' (dramma semiserio; music by
Ferdinando Paer Ferdinando Paer (1 July 1771 – 3 May 1839) was an Italian composer known for his operas. He was of Austrian descent and used the German spelling Pär in application for printing in Venice, and later in France the spelling Paër. Life and career ...
, 1804) *''Cesare in Egitto'' (opera seria; music by
Giacomo Tritto Giacomo Domenico Mario Antonio Pasquale Giuseppe Tritto (2 April 1733 – 16 September 1824) was an Italian composer, known primarily for his fifty-four operas. He was born in Altamura, and studied in Naples; among his teachers were Nicola F ...
, 1805) *''Andromeda'' (opera seria; music by
Vittorio Trento Vittorio Trento (ca. 1761 – 1833) was an Italian composer born in Venice. He studied composition under Ferdinando Bertoni at the Conservatorio dei Mendicanti in Venice. He was primarily known for his ballets of which he composed more than 50 for ...
, 1805) *''Il salto di Leucade'' (music by
Luigi Mosca Luigi Mosca (1775 – 30 November 1824) was Italian composer of operas and sacred music and a noted singing teacher. He composed eighteen operas, most of which were originally for theatres in Naples, but played throughout Italy in their day. Biog ...
, 1812) *''Ecuba'' (tragedia per musica; music by
Nicola Antonio Manfroce Nicola Antonio Manfroce (20 February 1791, in Palmi – 9 July 1813, 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 o ...
, 1812) *''
Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra ''Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra'' (; ''Elizabeth, Queen of England'') is a ''dramma per musica'' or opera in two acts by Gioachino Rossini to a libretto by Giovanni Schmidt, from the play ''Il paggio di Leicester'' (''Leicester's Page'') by C ...
'' (dramma; music by
Gioachino Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer who gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano pieces, and some sacred music. He set new standards f ...
, 1815) *''
Armida Armida is the fictional character of a Saracen sorceress, created by the Italian late Renaissance poet Torquato Tasso. Description In Tasso's epic ''Jerusalem Delivered'' ( it, Gerusalemme liberata, link=no), Rinaldo is a fierce and determ ...
'' (dramma; music by
Gioachino Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer who gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano pieces, and some sacred music. He set new standards f ...
, 1817) *''
Adelaide di Borgogna ''Adelaide di Borgogna, ossia Ottone, re d'Italia'' (''Adelaide of Burgundy, or Otto, King of Italy'') is a two-act opera composed by Gioachino Rossini (with contributions by Michele Carafa) to a libretto by Giovanni Schmidt. It was premièred ...
'' (dramma; music by
Gioachino Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer who gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano pieces, and some sacred music. He set new standards f ...
, 1817) *''
Eduardo e Cristina ''Eduardo e Cristina'' () is an operatic ''dramma'' in two acts by Gioachino Rossini to an Italian libretto originally written by Giovanni Schmidt for ''Odoardo e Cristina'' (1810), an opera by Stefano Pavesi, and adapted for Rossini by Andrea L ...
'' (dramma; music by
Gioachino Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer who gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano pieces, and some sacred music. He set new standards f ...
, 1819) *''L'apoteosi d'Ercole'' (dramma per musica; music by
Saverio Mercadante Giuseppe Saverio Raffaele Mercadante (baptised 17 September 179517 December 1870) was an Italian composer, particularly of operas. While Mercadante may not have retained the international celebrity of Gaetano Donizetti or Gioachino Rossini beyond ...
, 1819) *''Anacreonte in Samo'' (dramma per musica; music by
Saverio Mercadante Giuseppe Saverio Raffaele Mercadante (baptised 17 September 179517 December 1870) was an Italian composer, particularly of operas. While Mercadante may not have retained the international celebrity of Gaetano Donizetti or Gioachino Rossini beyond ...
, 1820) *''Lo sposo in provincia'' (commedia; music by
Giacomo Cordella Giacomo Cordella (Naples, 25 July 1786 – Naples, 8 May 1847) was an Italian composer. Biography Cordella studied in Naples with Fedele Fenaroli and Giovanni Paisiello. In 1804 he composed his first work, a cantata entitled ''La Vittoria dell' ...
, 1821) *''La sposa indiana'' (music by
Pietro Generali Pietro Generali (born Mercandetti Generali; 23 October 1773 – 3 November 1832) was an Italian composer primarily of operas and vocal music. Generali was born in Masserano. He studied counterpoint with Giovanni Masi in Rome and spent a few m ...
, 1822) *''L'amante virtuoso'' (music by Giuseppe Balducci, 1823) *''Le nozze de' Sanniti'' (dramma per musica; music by
Pietro Raimondi Pietro Raimondi (December 20, 1786, Rome – October 30, 1853) was an Italian composer, transitional between the Classical and Romantic eras. While he was famous at the time as a composer of operas and sacred music, he was also as an innovat ...
, 1824) *''Alessandro nelle Indie'' (dramma per musica; music by
Giovanni Pacini Giovanni Pacini (11 February 17966 December 1867) was an Italian composer, best known for his operas. Pacini was born in Catania, Sicily, the son of the buffo Luigi Pacini, who was to appear in the premieres of many of Giovanni's operas. The fami ...
, 1824) *''Anazilia'' (melodramma; music by
Giovanni Pacini Giovanni Pacini (11 February 17966 December 1867) was an Italian composer, best known for his operas. Pacini was born in Catania, Sicily, the son of the buffo Luigi Pacini, who was to appear in the premieres of many of Giovanni's operas. The fami ...
, 1825) *''Malvina'' (music by Michele Costa, 1829) *''Le nozze campestri'' (dramma per musica; music by
Giacomo Cordella Giacomo Cordella (Naples, 25 July 1786 – Naples, 8 May 1847) was an Italian composer. Biography Cordella studied in Naples with Fedele Fenaroli and Giovanni Paisiello. In 1804 he composed his first work, a cantata entitled ''La Vittoria dell' ...
, 1840; music by
Giuseppe Lillo Giuseppe Lillo (26 February 1814 - 4 February 1863) was an Italian composer. He is best known for his operas which followed in the same vein of Gioachino Rossini. He also produced works for solo piano, a small amount of sacred music, and some ch ...
, 1840)


Other works

*''Cimarosa agli Elisi'' (sonetto; music by
Pietro Casella Pietro is an Italian masculine given name. Notable people with the name include: People * Pietro I Candiano (c. 842–887), briefly the 16th Doge of Venice * Pietro Tribuno (died 912), 17th Doge of Venice, from 887 to his death * Pietro II C ...
, 1801)


Bibliography

*''New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'' (2000) * Pacini, Giovanni: ''Le mie memorie artistiche'' (Firenze, 1865) * Rescigno, Edoardo: ''Dizionario rossiniano'' (2002) {{DEFAULTSORT:Schmidt, Giovanni 1775 births 1839 deaths Year of birth uncertain Year of death uncertain Italian opera librettists Italian people of Austrian descent 18th-century Italian writers 18th-century Italian male writers 19th-century Italian writers 19th-century Italian male writers Writers from Naples