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Galuppi, Baldassare (born: Burano, 18 Oct 1706; died: Venice, 3 Jan 1785). Italian composer. He studied with Lotti and worked briefly in Florence, then returned to Venice, where his successful opera seria Dorinda (1729) launched his theatrical career: many others followed. In 1740-51 he taught at the Mendicanti orphanage. He worked in London, 1741-3, presenting four operas. Subsequently he enjoyed growing fame both in Italy and abroad. He was a vice-maestro at St Mark's, 1748-62, then maestro di cappella (Venice's highest musical post). An extended collaboration followed with the librettist Carlo Goldoni. With LArcadia in Brenta (1749, Venice) he was successful in comic opera; Il filosofo di campagna (1754, Venice) was especially popular. As music director of Catherine the Great's chapel, 1765-8, he staged operas at St Petersburg and Moscow and composed Russian sacred music. Returning to Venice, he became maestro di coro at the Ospedale degli Incurabili; latterly his operatic output decreased.
Galuppi was a crucial figure in the development of opera buffa, and his c. 30 works in the genre were the first to gain widespread fame. Most of them are cast in the new dramma giocoso genre, with partly serious elements, that he created with Goldoni. They use an early Classical style, with simple but inventive melodies carefully matched to the text. Often the orchestra carries the musical continuity. Many aria forms appear, and his use of the sectional 'chain finale' was influential. His c. 70 serious operas show a growing use of 'reform' elements. Among his other works are cantatas, 27 oratorios, church music and instrumental works (including over 100 harpsichord pieces).
Note: Concise Grove, based on the 20-volume New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, was published in 1988. For more contemporary information and updated listings, the New Grove II, published in January 2001, is available in printed and online versions: www.grovemusic.com. The Grove Concise Dictionary of Music (c) Macmillan Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. For personal, non-commercial use only. Copying or other reproduction is prohibited.
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