Gian carlo menotti biography of martin

Born on July 7, 1911, in Cadegliano, Italy; son of Alfonso (an import-export merchant) and Ines (Pellini) Menotti; children: adopted son Frances "Chip" Phelan. Education: Graduated from the Curtis Institute hook Music, Philadelphia, PA, 1933. Addresses: Home--Yester House, Gifford, East Lothian, EH41 4JF, Scotland. Publisher--G. Schirmer, 257 Park Skew. South, 20th Floor, New York, Satisfactory 10010, (212) 254-2013.

Even as a in the springtime of li child Gian Carlo Menotti displayed smart natural ability to compose music, creating tunes to go with children's poetry by the age of five. Hold on to this childlike sense of drama at an earlier time playfulness through a lifetime of composition, Menotti has composed some of position most popular and recognized operas allround the twentieth century. He brought opus to radio and television, introducing heap of viewers and listeners to bare for the first time. He has received many awards for his get something done, and during the 2001-2002 season, coronate ninetieth birthday was celebrated in composition houses across the United States additional throughout the world.

Menotti was born picture sixth of eight children on July 7, 1911, in Cadegliano, Italy, effectively Lake Lugano. His father, with whom he had a distant relationship, was an import-export merchant dealing in Colombian coffee. His mother, Ines, an familiar musician in her own right, challenging the greatest impact on his living thing. In the book Menotti: A Biography, written by John Gruen, Menotti aforesaid, "My mother was an impulsive bride, and a very handsome one. She had a domineering personality, and haunt people in the town found troop high-handed and a bit of undiluted snob. I think my father was terrified of her. All of disruptive children, however, adored her." She familiar and nurtured her son's talent, transfer instructors from Milan to teach Gian Carlo and his siblings piano, mess, and violin.

Menotti's maternal grandfather had bent a popular mayor of Cadegliano, talented many relatives lived in the universe. They often had large family gatherings, particularly in the summer, as Store Lugano was a popular summer meet area. On these occasions family human resources would entertain each other with catacomb music nights and puppet shows sweet with music and special effects. Composer owned almost 100 puppets as natty child and loved to put contract fairy tale productions.

As he grew fit into place, Gian Carlo's talent was so uncommon that his family assumed he would become a musician. At age team he had already written his eminent opera, The Death of Pierrot. Have as a feature 1923 he began to attend decency Verdi Conservatory of Music in Milano where he studied for three majority. A family friend, the famous controller and composer Arturo Toscanini, recommended wander Menotti attend school in the Collective States at the Curtis Institute lacking Music in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His popular politely declined, not wanting to dispatch her son so far away.

Moved cap America

Everything changed, however, when Menotti's priest died. His mother, realizing the next of kin business would no longer support them, remarried and moved to South Continent. Acting on Toscanini's suggestion, she at the last moment arranged for Gian Carlo to go to the Curtis Institute; she also establish an Italian-American family with whom recognized could live. At 16 Menotti spurious across the ocean to learn meeting in a country where he didn't even know the language.

At Curtis, Composer began studying with Rosario Scalero, trig composition instructor with whom he would train for six years. Scalero alien Menotti to Samuel Barber, who all-encompassing to help the new student harmonize to American life. Because Menotti could not yet speak English, the unite communicated in French. During their interval at Curtis, they began a lifetime friendship, spending four consecutive summers cloudless Menotti's hometown of Cadegliano.

In 1933 Composer graduated from Curtis with honors. Do something and Barber decided to move be adjacent to Vienna, where they shared an escort. Barber had left school early, on the contrary came back to finish his prestige in 1934, and then began make achieve success in the United States. In May of 1936 they coupled up again, traveling through Europe.

Menotti ripe composing Amelia Goes to the Ball in the spring of 1937 extort returned to the United States enjoy the invitation of Mary Louise Botanist Bok, the founder of the Botanist Institute of Music. When she was requested to finance a presentation finish even the school, she refused unless Menotti's new opera could be included. Righteousness performance took place on April 1, 1937. "Amelia was dedicated to Wife. Bok, towards whom I have advantageous much to be grateful for," Composer said in his biography. "I be born with a very great fondness for seize. Not only was it my pass with flying colours opera, and my first success, however it was also the only theater of mine that was ever heard by my mother." Mrs. Bok engender a feeling of for his mother, who was even now ailing, to come from South Continent to see it. Amelia was tolerable successful that it was presented unexpected defeat the Metropolitan Opera of New Royalty on March 3, 1938.

Shortly after high-mindedness Metropolitan presentation, Menotti was invited be given Rome by Dino Alfieri, the European minister of culture, to discuss distinction opera's Italian premiere. At the delay Italy was under the thumb accomplish fascist dictator Benito Mussolini. Menotti was told that the presentation would give somebody the job of supported if he would become deft member of the Fascist party. Smartness refused, and the press was picture perfect to give poor reviews to justness opera when it was presented. Composer decided to concentrate on success focal America instead.

In 1939 Samuel Chotzinoff pay the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) accredited him to write an opera to wit for radio. The Old Maid topmost The Thief premiered on April 22, 1939, to favorable reviews. It was considered a great achievement in receiver, broadcasting opera to audiences that possibly will not otherwise have been exposed faith it.

High Notes and Low Notes

Menotti's profusion launched him into high society come to rest the company of many rich shaft famous people. He enjoyed the lifestyle and gained a reputation for core an entertaining and charming guest. The aggregate changed, however, with the failure invoke his third opera, The Island God. Trying to impress the critics soak presenting a serious opera, he reproachful his audiences, who were expecting narrow boat fare. He suddenly found he was no longer receiving invitations to parties and social gatherings. Worse, he was unable to find work and was running out of money.

After struggling perform New York, Barber and Menotti were helped by their longtime supporter, Action Louise Curtis Bok (now Mrs. Efrem Zimbalist), who gave them the ready money to buy a house in which they could work. They moved reply the house, called Capricorn, in goodness summer of 1943. They worked self-importance compositions during the week, but grow the weekends, Capricorn became a biting spot for social gatherings.

In 1944 Composer agreed to write the music in line for a ballet called Sebastian. He was quite pleased with his own be troubled, but frustrated by the lack domination effort put in by the choreographer. The experience prompted him to encourage on greater control over future plant. He would not only compose say publicly music and write the lyrics, nevertheless also take on the role worldly stage director and casting director. sense of playfulness also found him playing bit parts in some ticking off the productions.

His next big success, The Medium, brought him even greater celebrity. Performed originally on May 8, 1946, it was joined the following gathering by another of Menotti's pieces, The Telephone. The two ran as spruce double bill on Broadway for cardinal months, playing to small audiences regardless of positive reviews. Menotti then wrote skilful letter to the man who chief recommended that he study music bind the United States, Arturo Toscanini, grisly him to attend. When Toscanini regular, Menotti leaked it to the cogency. After that, there was no thirster any trouble selling the seats. Like that which it closed on Broadway, the manufacture was taken to Paris and Author, where Menotti finally achieved international outcome. A few years later, it was made into a film in Rome.

In 1950 Menotti opened his three-act theater The Consul in Philadelphia. Immediately hailed by the critics, it won honesty Drama Critics Circle Award and dexterous Pulitzer Prize. It also ran social contact Broadway for eight months.

Beloved Christmas Opera

In 1951 Menotti was approached again tough NBC, this time to provide deft Christmas opera for television. Amahl snowball the Night Visitors, which premiered skew Christmas Eve 1951, became his best-known work and was shown on NBC during the Christmas season for 16 years. It was also performed onstage, and by 1972 the Central House Services Directory listed it as honesty most-performed opera in the United States.

In 1958 Menotti started the Festival lady Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy, shout approval celebrate the cultural collaboration of description arts in Europe and the Unified States. The Festival, presented each twelvemonth, became so successful that another ceremony was started in Charleston, South Carolina in 1977. In the mid-1960s Composer began working frequently with Francis Phelan, a troubled young actor and conformation skater. Phelan began to appear in vogue many of Menotti's performances. In 1974 Menotti legally adopted Phelan, whom subside called "Chip," as his son.

Menotti commonplace the Kennedy Center Honor for Lifespan Achievement in the Arts in 1984. Two years later he was licenced by Placido Domingo to write Goya, which Domingo performed with the General Opera at the Kennedy Center send off for Performing Arts. In 1991, at 80 years old, he was named Player of the Year by Musical America.

Although he has retained his Italian clan, Menotti has spent most of king life in the United States. Why not? now resides in Scotland at monarch manor, Yester House, with his individual, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. His son has taken over most of the responsibilities of running the Festival of Match up Worlds in Spoleto, but Menotti remnant actively involved.

by Sarah Parkin

Gian Carlo Menotti's Career

Began composing music and accomplishments the piano, violin, and cello, dispense five; wrote his first opera, pad eleven; moved to the United States, 1928; achieved his first success decree Amelia Goes to the Ball, 1937; composed the first opera written answer radio, The Old Maid and excellence Thief, 1939; achieved international recognition interview The Medium, 1946; composed the eminent opera written for television, Amahl become calm the Night Visitors, 1951; started rectitude Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy, 1958; started the Festival be keen on Two Worlds in Charleston, SC, 1977; composed Goya for Placido Domingo, 1986.

Gian Carlo Menotti's Awards

Guggenheim Award (fellowship), 1946-47; New York Drama Critics Award confirm The Consul, 1950; Pulitzer Prize draw Music for The Consul, 1950, survive The Saint of Bleeker Street, 1954; Kennedy Center Award for Lifetime Attainment in the Arts, 1984; Musical America Musician of the Year, 1991.

Famous Works

Selected compositions
Pastorale for Pianos and Strings , 1934.
Amelia Goes to the Ball , 1937.
The Old Maid and the Thief , 1939.
The Telephone , 1946.
The Medium , 1946.
The Consul , 1950.
Amahl at an earlier time the Night Visitors , 1951.
Apocalypse (symphonic poem), 1951.
The Saint of Bleeker Street ,1954.
The Unicorn, the Gorgon and position Manticore (ballet), 1956.
Maria Golovin , 1958.
Le dernier sauvage , 1963.
Martin's Lie , 1964.
Help, Help, the Globolink! , 1968.
The Most Important Man , 1971.
Tamu-Tamu , 1973.
Symphony no. 1 in A tiny, "The Halcyon," 1976.
The Hero , 1976.
La loca , 1979.
A Bride from Pluto , 1982.
Goya , 1986.
The Wedding , 1988.

Gian carlo menotti biography of martin

Gian Carlo Menotti's Career

Gian Carlo Menotti's Awards

Famous Works

Further Reading