Luigi Astolfi (;Astolfo in ''Dizionario d'Ortografia e di Pronunzia'' 1790s–1860s) was an Italian dancer, choreographer, and composer.
Life
Luigi Astolfi was born in
Lombardy
Lombardy ( it, Lombardia, Lombard language, Lombard: ''Lombardia'' or ''Lumbardia' '') is an administrative regions of Italy, region of Italy that covers ; it is located in the northern-central part of the country and has a population of about 10 ...
in the 1790s.
In 1817 he had his first success as a dancer performing ''Osvaldo e Olfrida'' by Giuseppe Sorrentino at the
Teatro San Benedetto
The Teatro San Benedetto was a theatre in Venice, particularly prominent in the operatic life of the city in the 18th and early 19th centuries. It saw the premieres of over 140 operas, including Rossini's ''L'italiana in Algeri'', and was the th ...
in
Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...
.
In the following years he also started to practise as a choreographer, especially in
Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
and, to a lesser extent, also in Oporto, in Vienna, and in Russia, but with less success; performances of ''
Belisario
''Belisario'' (''Belisarius'') is a ''tragedia lirica'' (tragic opera) in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. Salvadore Cammarano wrote the Italian libretto after Luigi Marchionni's adaptation of play, ''Belisarius'', first staged in Munich in 182 ...
'' and ''
Gli esiliati in Siberia
(''Eight Months in Two Hours or The Exiles in Siberia'') is an opera in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti to a libretto by Domenico Gilardoni.
The original story comes from the 1806 novel, ''Elisabeth, ou Les exilés de Sibérie'' (''Elisabeth, ...
'' (1831) by
Gaetano Donizetti
Domenico Gaetano Maria Donizetti (29 November 1797 – 8 April 1848) was an Italian composer, best known for his almost 70 operas. Along with Gioachino Rossini and Vincenzo Bellini, he was a leading composer of the '' bel canto'' opera style dur ...
, and '' La muette de Portici'' by Daniel Auber (1838) were warmly received by critics and audience.
Later he was also composed the music that he performed as a dancer; his first success was ''Le sette reclute'', performed for the first time in 1832 at the
Teatro alla Canobbiana
The Teatro Lirico (known until 1894 as the Teatro alla Canobbiana) is a theatre in Milan, Italy. In the 19th and early 20th centuries it hosted numerous opera performances, including the world premieres of Donizetti's ''L'elisir d'amore'' and Gi ...
in Milan. Again at the Canobbiana in 1837 ''I minatori di Salerno'' was performed for the first time: this was his most performed ballet, not only by Astolfi himself but also by other performers; this was the only work by Astolfi to be performed after his death.
He was ''
premier danseur
A principal dancer (often shortened to principal) is a dancer at the highest rank within a professional dance company, particularly a ballet company.
A principal may be male or female. The position is similar to that of '' soloist''; however, p ...
'' of both Italian and Portuguese dancers at the Royal Theatre of Saint John in Lisbon until the season 1839–40, which was a complete failure for Astolfi. He experienced other failures in Crema and
Bergamo
Bergamo (; lmo, Bèrghem ; from the proto- Germanic elements *''berg +*heim'', the "mountain home") is a city in the alpine Lombardy region of northern Italy, approximately northeast of Milan, and about from Switzerland, the alpine lakes Como ...
in 1837 and at the Teatro Carignano in Turin in 1842.
In 1840 he married dancer and leading pantomimic actress Fanny Mazzarelli.
He was the composer and choreographer of ''La Encantadora de Madrid'', performed in the season 1845–46 at the Teatro Regio in Turin, starring Fanny Cerrito and
Arthur Saint-Léon
Arthur Saint-Léon (17 September 1821, in Paris – 2 September 1870) was the '' Maître de Ballet'' of St. Petersburg Imperial Ballet from 1859 until 1869 and is famous for creating the choreography of the ballet ''Coppélia''.
Biography
He was ...
.
In 1855 he retired to private life in Milan, where he died in the 1860s.