Antonio Salieri

Antonio Salieri was born on August 18, 1749. He played a significant role in the development of Italian opera by skillfully aligning music with theatrical elements.

Antonio Salieri, an Italian composer and teacher of the classical period, was born in Legnago, south of Verona, in the Republic of Venice. He later became a pivotal figure in the development of late 18th-century opera.

In 1770, Antonio Salieri composed his first opera titled 'Le Donne Litterate', which gained attention and was well-received by the Martinez family.

Salieri's opera Armida premiered on June 2, 1771. It was based on Torquato Tasso's epic poem La Gerusalemme liberata and marked Salieri's first great success in serious opera.

Salieri's instrumental works from this time period have been criticized for lacking inspiration and innovation compared to his operatic works. These works include concertos for pianoforte, organ, oboe, violin, cello, flute, and oboe.

Salieri's oratorio La Passione di Gesù Cristo, with a text by Metastasio, was performed during Advent of 1776.

The financial collapse of the Italian opera company in 1777 led to the end of Italian opera performances and the establishment of a new National Theater promoting German-language productions.

Europa riconosciuta was an opera composed by Antonio Salieri in 1778.

In April 1783, Antonio Salieri's opera Scuola de’ gelosi was performed in Vienna, marking the city's return to opera buffa.

Les Danaïdes, an opera by Salieri, was first presented in 1784. Initially attributed to Gluck, this work showcased Salieri's talent and added to his reputation as a composer.

Salieri produced one of his greatest works, La grotta di Trofonio, with the text by Giambattista Casti. It was the first opera buffa published in full score by Artaria, showcasing Salieri's continued success in composing operas.

During the opera composition competition held by Emperor Joseph II in 1786 in the Orangery at Schönbrunn, Mozart was considered the loser of this competition.

In 1787, the opera Tarare premiered with a libretto by Beaumarchais. It was a satire of absolute monarchism and was notable for being almost entirely through-composed, which was ahead of its time by 60 years before Wagner.

In 1788, Antonio Salieri was appointed as the music director by Emperor Joseph II, a position he held for 36 years. This role allowed him to compose operas for various theaters in Europe.

Mozart's 1791 opera The Magic Flute echoes the competition between Mozart and Salieri, as well as similarities in music between the two composers.

By 1792, Salieri's Italian adaptation of Tarare, Axur, became his greatest international success. Axur and his other new compositions marked the height of Salieri's popularity and influence.

In 1795, Salieri's opera Palmira, Regina di Persia gained wide popular esteem during his life. It drew on the heroic and exotic success established with Axur.

In 1799, Salieri's opera Falstaff ossia Le tre burle, based on William Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor, found a wider audience in modern times than its original reception promised.

Salieri's last opera was performed in 1804, after which he focused on composing sacred music. He was also a renowned teacher with students like Beethoven, Franz Schubert, and Franz Liszt.

In 1816, Antonio Salieri was honored with the gold 'Civil Medal of Honor' during a concert featuring works by some of his students, including Franz Schubert.

In 1824, Antonio Salieri retired after dedicating 50 years of service to the court, just a year before his passing.

Antonio Salieri passed away on May 7, 1825. He is remembered for his contributions to revolutionizing opera and his interactions with renowned composers like Mozart and Gassman.

Alexander Pushkin's play Mozart and Salieri, published in 1830, dramatized the rumor of Antonio Salieri poisoning Mozart. This play contributed to the perpetuation of the myth of rivalry between the two composers.

Within a few years of Salieri's death in 1825, Alexander Pushkin wrote his 'little tragedy' Mozart and Salieri (1831), exploring the theme of envy and rivalry between the two composers.

In 1878, Clément described Salieri as a highly productive musician with successes during his lifetime. However, he criticized Salieri's works for lacking emotion and warmth, attributing his lack of lasting glory to a focus on skill over genius.

In 1898, Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov adapted Pushkin's play, Mozart and Salieri, into an opera of the same name, further immortalizing the relationship between Mozart and Salieri.

The late 20th century saw a revival of Antonio Salieri's fame, largely attributed to the fictionalized depiction of him in Peter Shaffer's play 'Amadeus' (1979) and its 1984 film version. This renewed interest shed light on Salieri's legacy.

The Oscar-winning film adaptation of Peter Shaffer's play Amadeus was released in 1984, directed by Miloš Forman and starring F. Murray Abraham as Antonio Salieri.

Salieri's opera Tarare, from a 1987 production, has been released on DVD.

Salieri's opera Falstaff, from a 1995 production, has been released on DVD.

Since 2000, complete recordings of Salieri's operas Falstaff, Les Danaides, and La Grotta di Trofonio have been released.

In 2001, Salieri's triple concerto was featured in the soundtrack of The Last Castle, marking a rare instance of Hollywood using Salieri's music in a film.

In 2003, mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli released The Salieri Album, a CD featuring 13 arias from Salieri's operas, many of which were previously unrecorded.

In 2004, Salieri's opera Europa riconosciuta was staged in Milan for the reopening of La Scala, with soprano Diana Damrau in the title role, marking a significant revival of his works.

The 2006 movie Copying Beethoven referenced Salieri in a positive light, showcasing his influence and legacy in the world of classical music.

The 2008 film Iron Man used the Larghetto movement from Salieri's Piano Concerto in C major, adding a classical touch to a key scene in the movie.

In November 2009, Il mondo alla rovescia was given its first staging in modern times at the Teatro Salieri in Legnago, as part of the Salieri Opera Festival, showcasing the ongoing rediscovery of Salieri's operas.

On 14 November 2011 in Graz, Austria, Salieri's Der Rauchfangkehrer was given its first modern production, highlighting the continued interest in Salieri's lesser-known operas.

In 2015, composer and musicologist Timo Jouko Herrmann discovered the score of a cantata, Per la ricuperata salute di Ofelia, featuring sections by both Antonio Salieri and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. This discovery shed light on the relationship between the two composers.

Despite his numerous and diverse compositions, Salieri is primarily remembered for his connections to famous composers rather than his own music.

Paul Bettany has been cast to play the role of Salieri in the upcoming 'Amadeus' series. The series will feature him opposite Will Sharpe, who will portray Mozart.