Francesco Azopardi (or Azzopardi) (May 5, 1748 – February 1809) was a

Maltese Maltese may refer to: * Someone or something of, from, or related to Malta * Maltese alphabet * Maltese cuisine * Maltese culture * Maltese language, the Semitic language spoken by Maltese people * Maltese people, people from Malta or of Maltese ...

composer and music theorist.Spiridion Vincent Buhagiar, ''Francesco Azopardi (1748–1809): A Maltese Classical Composer, Theorist, and Teacher'', Mediterranean Institute,

University of Malta The University of Malta (, UM, formerly UOM) is a higher education institution in Malta. It offers undergraduate bachelor's degrees, postgraduate master's degrees and postgraduate doctorates. It is a member of the European University Association, ...

, Msida, Malta, 1999, Dissertation

Life and career

Azopardi was born in Notabile. He received his musical training in Malta and during his stay from 1763 to 1774 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 ...

at the Conservatory of San Onofrio under Carlo Cotumacci and Joseph Doll. He worked at

St. Paul's Cathedral, Mdina The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Paul (), commonly known as St Paul's Cathedral or the Mdina Cathedral, is a Catholic cathedral in Mdina, Malta, dedicated to St. Paul the Apostle. The cathedral was founded in the 12th century, and according to ...

, and, from 1789 following the Napoleonic invasion and flight of the

Knights of St. John The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), is a Catholic military order. It was founded in the crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 12th century and had headquarters there u ...

, combined his responsibilities at Mdina with those at St. John's Co-Cathedral in

Valletta Valletta ( ; , ) is the capital city of Malta and one of its 68 Local councils of Malta, council areas. Located between the Grand Harbour to the east and Marsamxett Harbour to the west, its population as of 2021 was 5,157. As Malta’s capital ...

. One of his successes was a setting of

Metastasio Pietro Antonio Domenico Trapassi (3 January 1698 – 12 April 1782), better known by his pseudonym of Pietro Metastasio (), was an Italian poet and librettist, considered the most important writer of ''opera seria'' libretti. Early life Met ...

's libretto ''

La Passione di Gesù Cristo LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second most populous city in the United States of America. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music *La (musical note), or A, the sixth note *"L.A.", a song by Elliott Smit ...

'' he conducted at the

Manoel Theatre (Maltese for "Manoel Theatre"; ) is a theatre and important performing arts venue in Malta. The theatre is often referred to as simply "The Manoel", and is named after Grand Master of the Order of the Knights Hospitaller, Fra António Manoel d ...

in Valletta in 1782. He died in

Rabat Rabat (, also , ; ) is the Capital (political), capital city of Morocco and the List of cities in Morocco, country's seventh-largest city with an urban population of approximately 580,000 (2014) and a metropolitan population of over 1.2 million. ...

. He is known especially through his work ''Il Musico Prattico'', which appeared in French translation by

Nicolas-Étienne Framery Nicolas-Étienne Framery (; 25 March 1745, Rouen – 26 November 1810, Paris) was a French music theorist, critic and lyric writer associated with opera, especially opéra comique. He wrote and adapted librettos. His work became more academic and a ...

Works

Secular music

*''Malta felice'' (

cantata A cantata (; ; literally "sung", past participle feminine singular of the Italian language, Italian verb ''cantare'', "to sing") is a vocal music, vocal Musical composition, composition with an musical instrument, instrumental accompaniment, ty ...

, 1775) *''La magica lanterna'' (

opera buffa Opera buffa (, "comic opera"; : ''opere buffe'') is a genre of opera. It was first used as an informal description of Italian comic operas variously classified by their authors as ''commedia in musica'', ''commedia per musica'', ''dramma bernesc ...

, 1791)

Sacred vocal music

*''La passione di Cristo'' (

oratorio An oratorio () is a musical composition with dramatic or narrative text for choir, soloists and orchestra or other ensemble. Similar to opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguisha ...

libretto A libretto (From the Italian word , ) is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to th ...

Pietro Metastasio Pietro Antonio Domenico Trapassi (3 January 1698 – 12 April 1782), better known by his pseudonym of Pietro Metastasio (), was an Italian poet and Libretto, librettist, considered the most important writer of ''opera seria'' libretti. Early ...

, 1782, 1802) *Various masses composed between 1768 and 1806 *Various sacred works composed between 1772 and 1796 *Songs, hymns and psalms composed between 1772 and 1807

Instrumental music

*Overture for 2 oboes, 2 violins, 2 horns, bass, and organ (1782) *Sinfonia for 2 oboes, 2 violins, 2 violas, horn and basso continuo (1797) *Sinfonia for oboe obbligato, oboe, 2 violins, 2 horns and basso continuo (1799)

Treatises

*''Il musico prattico'' *''Dissertazione sulla risoluzione della quinta falsa in 6/4 rivolto dell'armonia di 5/3'' *''Dissertazione sulla musica greca''

Selected recordings

* ''Les manuscrits de Malte 3 – Oeuvres de Francesco Azopardi'': Lauda Sion. Assumpta est. Beatus Vir. Confitebor. Dixit Dominus. Maîtrise des Bouches du Rhône, leader Jeannine Prosper, Jeune Ensemble Baroque de Provence, dir. Giuseppe Dellavalle. Studio SM, Paris. 1998.

References

External links

* 1748 births 1809 deaths Maltese classical composers Maltese male musicians Music theorists People from Mdina People from Rabat, Malta 18th-century Maltese people 18th-century classical composers 18th-century male musicians 19th-century Maltese people 19th-century classical composers Male classical composers 19th-century male musicians {{Malta-composer-stub