Giuseppe Aprile - Placidi venti ameni - British Library Add MS 14193 f7101v

Giuseppe Aprile (28 October 1731 – 11 January 1813) was an Italian

castrato A castrato (Italian; : castrati) is a male singer who underwent castration before puberty in order to retain a singing voice equivalent to that of a soprano, mezzo-soprano, or contralto. The voice can also occur in one who, due to an endocrino ...

singer and music teacher. He was also known as 'Sciroletto' or 'Scirolino'. Aprile was born in

Martina Franca Martina Franca, or just Martina (Bari dialect, Martinese: ), is a town and ''comune, municipality'' in the province of Taranto, Apulia, Italy. It is the second most populated town of the province after Taranto, and has a population (2016) of ...

. After studying with Gregorio Sciroli, composer and singing instructor, in

Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...

, he began his singing career in 1752 at 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 a historic opera house in Naples, Italy, connected to the Royal Palace and a ...

in Naples. He then began a great career, performing in prominent theatres throughout Italy,

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

, and even Madrid. His voice could reach E5. He withdrew from the stage in 1785 and became a singing instructor in Naples.

Domenico Cimarosa Domenico Cimarosa (; 17 December 1749 – 11 January 1801) was an Music of Italy, Italian composer of the Neapolitan School and of the Classical period (music), Classical period. He wrote more than eighty operas, the best known of which is ''Il ...

, Michael Kelly and

Emma, Lady Hamilton Dame Emma Hamilton (born Amy Lyon; 26 April 176515 January 1815), known upon moving to London as Emma Hart, and upon marriage as Lady Hamilton, was an English maid, model, dancer and actress. She began her career in London's demi-monde, beco ...

were among his pupils. He wrote a popular book on singing instruction, ''The Italian Method of Singing, with 36 Solfeggi'' (1791).

Operatic roles

*Euribate in ''Ifigenia in Aulide'' by

Niccolò Jommelli Niccolò Jommelli (; 10 September 1714 – 25 August 1774) was an Italian composer of the Neapolitan School. Along with other composers mainly in the Holy Roman Empire and France, he was responsible for certain operatic reforms including redu ...

and

Tommaso Traetta Tommaso Michele Francesco Saverio Traetta (30 March 1727 – 6 April 1779), was an Italian composer of the Neapolitan School. Along with other composers mainly in the Holy Roman Empire and France, he was responsible for certain operatic r ...

(

, 1752) *Edelberto in ''Ricimero re de' Goti'' by

Baldassare Galuppi Baldassare Galuppi (18 October 17063 January 1785) was a Venetian composer, born on the island of Burano in the Venetian Republic. He belonged to a generation of composers, including Johann Adolph Hasse, Giovanni Battista Sammartini, and C.&nbs ...

(Naples, 1753) *Publio Cornelio Scipione in ''Livia Claudia Vestale'' by Niccolò Conforto (

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

, 1755) *Pompeo in ''Pompeo magno in Armenia'' by Francesco Saverio Garzia (Rome, 1755) *Cesare in ''Catone in Utica'' by Francesco Poncini (

Parma Parma (; ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, Giuseppe Verdi, music, art, prosciutto (ham), Parmesan, cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,986 inhabitants as of 2025, ...

, 1756) *Giasone in ''Issipile'' by Baldassare Galuppi (Parma, 1756) *Demetrio in the anonymous ''Antigono'' (

Lucca Città di Lucca ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the Serchio River, in a fertile plain near the Ligurian Sea. The city has a population of about 89,000, while its Province of Lucca, province has a population of 383,9 ...

, 1756) *Timante in ''Demofoonte'' by Antonio Gaetano Pampani (Rome, 1757) *Ezio in ''Ezio'' by Tommaso Traetta (Rome, 1757) *Aminta in ''Il re pastore'' by Antonio Mazzoni (

Bologna Bologna ( , , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. It is the List of cities in Italy, seventh most populous city in Italy, with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nationalities. Its M ...

, 1757) *Linceo in the anonymous ''Ipermestra'' (Venice, 1757) *Enea in ''Didone abbandonata'' by Tommaso Traetta (Venice, 1757) *Ciro in ''Ciro riconosciuto'' by Niccolò Jommelli (

Mantua Mantua ( ; ; Lombard language, Lombard and ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Italian region of Lombardy, and capital of the Province of Mantua, eponymous province. In 2016, Mantua was designated as the "Italian Capital of Culture". In 2 ...

, 1758) *Timante in ''Demofoonte'' by Tommaso Traetta (Mantua, 1758) *Sesto in ''La clemenza di Tito'' by

Giuseppe Scarlatti Giuseppe Scarlatti (1718 or 18 June 1723, Naples – 17 August 1777, Vienna) was a composer of '' opere serie'' and '' opere buffe''. He worked in Rome from 1739 to 1741, and from 1752 to 1754 in Florence, Pisa, Lucca and Turin. From 1752 t ...

(Venice, 1760) *Cosrovio in ''Gianguir'' by Vincenzo Ciampi (Venice, 1760) *Castore in ''I tindaridi'' by Tommaso Traetta (Parma, 1760) *Alceste in ''Demetrio'' by Baldassare Galuppi (

Padua Padua ( ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Veneto, northern Italy, and the capital of the province of Padua. The city lies on the banks of the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice and southeast of Vicenza, and has a population of 20 ...

, 1761) *Tiridate in ''Zenobia'' by

Giovanni Battista Pescetti Giovanni Battista Pescetti (c. 170420 March 1766) was an organist, harpsichordist, and composer known primarily for his operas and keyboard sonatas. Musicologist and University of California, Santa Barbara professor John E. Gillespie wrote that Pe ...

(Padua, 1761) *Megacle in ''L'Olimpiade'' of Niccolò Jommelli (

Stuttgart Stuttgart (; ; Swabian German, Swabian: ; Alemannic German, Alemannic: ; Italian language, Italian: ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, largest city of the States of Germany, German state of ...

, 1761) *Alceste in ''Demetrio'' by Giuseppe Ponzo (

Turin Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...

, 1762) *Achille in ''Ifigenia in Aulide'' by

Ferdinando Bertoni Ferdinando Gasparo Bertoni (15 August 1725 – 1 December 1813) was an Italian composer and organist. Early years He was born in Salò, Republic of Venice, and began his music studies in Brescia, not far from his birthplace. Around 1740 he went ...

(Turin, 1762) *Enea in ''Didone abbadonata'' by Niccolò Jommelli (Stuttgart, 1763) *Timante in ''Demofoonte'' by Niccolò Jommelli (Stuttgart, 1764) *Motezuma in ''Motezuma'' by

Gian Francesco de Majo Gian Francesco de Majo (24 March 1732 – 17 November 1770) was an Italian composer. He is best known for his more than 20 operas. He also composed a considerable amount of sacred works, including oratorios, cantatas, and masses. Life and ca ...

(Turin, 1765) *Megacle in ''L'Olimpiade'' by

Johann Adolf Hasse Johann Adolph Hasse (baptised 25 March 1699 – 16 December 1783) was an 18th-century German composer, singer and teacher of music. Immensely popular in his time, Hasse was best known for his prolific operatic output, though he also composed a co ...

(Turin, 1765) *Aminta in ''Il re pastore'' by

Niccolò Piccinni Niccolò Piccinni (; 16 January 1728 – 7 May 1800) was an Italian composer of symphonies, sacred music, chamber music, and opera. Although he is somewhat obscure today, Piccinni was one of the most popular composers of opera—particularly the ...

(Naples, 1765) *Euriso in '' Creso'' by

Antonio Sacchini Antonio Maria Gasparo Gioacchino Sacchini (14 June 1730 – 6 October 1786) was an Italian classical period (music), classical era composer, best known for his operas. Sacchini was born in Florence, but raised in Naples, where he received his m ...

(Naples, 1765) *Teseo in the

pasticcio In music, a ''pasticcio'' or ''pastiche'' is an opera or other musical work composed of works by different composers who may or may not have been working together, or an adaptation or localization of an existing work that is loose, unauthorized, ...

''Arianna e Teseo'' (

Palermo Palermo ( ; ; , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan province. The ...

, 1766) *Fetonte in ''Fetonte'' by Niccolò Jommelli (Stuttgart, 1768) *Gandarte in ''Nicoraste'' by Antonio Sacchini (Venice, 1769) *Giulio Cesare in ''Cesare in Egitto'' by Niccolò Piccinni (Milan, 1770) *Enea in ''Didone abbandonata'' by Ignazio Celoniat (Milan, 1770) *Rinaldo in ''

Armida abbandonata ''Armida Abbandonata'' (''Armida Abandoned'') is an opera in three acts by the Italian composer Niccolò Jommelli. The libretto, by Francesco Saverio De Rogatis, is based on the epic poem ''Jerusalem Delivered'' by Torquato Tasso. The opera was fi ...

'' by Niccolò Jommelli (Naples, 1770;

Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...

, 1775) *Demetrio in ''Antigono'' by Pasquale Cafaro (Naples, 1770) *Timante in ''Demofoonte'' by Niccolò Jommelli (Naples, 1770) *Eumene in ''Eumene'' by Gian Francesco de Majo (Naples, 1771) *Perseo in ''Andromeda'' by Giuseppe Colla (Turin, 1772) *Maometto in ''Tamas Kouli-Kan nell'Indie'' by

Gaetano Pugnani Gaetano Pugnani (27 November 1731 – 15 July 1798, full name: Giulio Gaetano Gerolamo Pugnani) was an Italian composer and violinist. Biography Gaetano Pugnani was born in 1731 in Turin, the city where he spent most of his life, son of Giov ...

(Turin, 1772) *Sesto in ''La clemenza di Tito'' by

Pasquale Anfossi Pasquale Anfossi (5 April 1727 – February 1797) was an Italian opera composer. Born in Taggia, Republic of Genoa, he studied with Niccolò Piccinni and Antonio Sacchini, and worked mainly in London, Venice and Rome. He wrote more than 80 ope ...

(Naples, 1772) *Achille in ''Achille in Sciro'' by Antonio Amicone (Naples, 1772) *Titano in ''Cerere placata'' by Niccolò Jommelli (Naples, 1772) *Linceo in ''Ipermestra'' by Niccolò Piccinni (Naples, 1772) *Teseo in ''Arianna e Teseo'' by

Giacomo Insanguine Giacomo Antonio Francesco Paolo Michele Insanguine (also called ''Giacomo Monopoli'' after his birthplace Monopoli; 22 March 1728 – 1 February 1795) was an Italian composer, organist, and music educator. He was the last director (primo maestro ...

(Naples, 1773) *Alceste in the pasticcio ''Demetrio'' (Florence, 1774) *Maometto in ''Tamas Kouli-Kan nell'Indie'' by

Pietro Guglielmi Pietro Alessandro Guglielmi (9 December 1728 – 19 November 1804) was an Italian opera composer of the classical period (music), classical period. Biography Guglielmi was born into the Guglielmi family of musicians in Massa, Tuscany, Massa. Hi ...

(Florence, 1774) *Vologeso in ''Vologeso re de' Parti'' by Giovanni Marco Rutini (Florence, 1775) *Marco Antonio in ''Cleopatra'' by Carlo Monza (Turin, 1776) *Sicotenal in ''Sicotenal'' by Giovanni Marco Rutini (Turin, 1776) *Telemaco in ''Calipso'' by Bernardino Ottani (Turin, 1777) *Gengis-Kan in ''Gengis-Kan'' by Pasquale Anfossi (Turin, 1777) *Euriso in ''Creso re di Lidia'' by Giovanni Battista Borghi (Florence, 1777) *Enea in ''Enea nel Lazio'' by Antonio Burroni (Rome, 1778) *Megacle in ''L'Olimpiade'' by Pasquale Anfossi (Rome,

Perugia Perugia ( , ; ; ) is the capital city of Umbria in central Italy, crossed by the River Tiber. The city is located about north of Rome and southeast of Florence. It covers a high hilltop and part of the valleys around the area. It has 162,467 ...

, and

Treviso Treviso ( ; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the Veneto region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Treviso and the municipality has 87.322 inhabitants (as of December 2024). Some 3,000 live within the Venetian wall ...

, 1778) *Arsace in '' Medonte, re di Epiro'' by

Giuseppe Sarti Giuseppe Sarti (also Sardi; baptised 1 December 1729 – 28 July 1802) was an Italian opera composer. Biography He was born at Faenza. His date of birth is not known, but he was baptised on 1 December 1729 and he passed away on 28 July 1802. Som ...

(Perugia, 1778; Florence, 1779) *Cleomene in ''Erifile'' by Francesco Bianchi (Florence, 1779) *Selimo in the pasticcio ''Il Solimano'' (Florence, 1779) *Tarsile in '' La Calliroe'' by

Josef Mysliveček Josef Mysliveček (9 March 1737 – 4 February 1781) was a Czech composer who contributed to the formation of late eighteenth-century classicism in music. Mysliveček provided his younger friend Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with significant com ...

(

Pisa Pisa ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Tuscany, Central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for the Leaning Tow ...

, 1779) *Annio in the pasticcio ''Cajo Mario'' (Pisa, 1779) *Annio in ''Cajo Mario'' by

(Rome, 1780) *Tito in ''Tito nelle Gallie'' by Pasquale Anfossi (Rome, 1780) Source: Claudio Sartori. ''I libretti italiani a stampa dalle origini al 1800''. Cuneo, 1992–1994.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Aprile, Giuseppe 1731 births 1813 deaths Castrati People from Martina Franca 18th-century Italian male opera singers Italian voice teachers