Antoni de Literes (18 June 1673

Majorca Mallorca, or Majorca, is the largest of the Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain, and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, seventh largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. The capital of the island, Palma, Majorca, Palma, i ...

– 18 January 1747

Madrid Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...

), also known as Antonio de Literes or Antoni Literes Carrión) was a Spanish composer of ''

zarzuela () is a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes, the latter incorporating operatic and popular songs, as well as dance. The etymology of the name is uncertain, but some propose it may derive from the name o ...

s''. As with other national forms of

baroque opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...

, Literes's stage works employ a wide variety of musical forms –

aria In music, an aria (, ; : , ; ''arias'' in common usage; diminutive form: arietta, ; : ariette; in English simply air (music), air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrument (music), instrumental or orchestral accompan ...

s, ariettas and

recitative Recitative (, also known by its Italian name recitativo () is a style of delivery (much used in operas, oratorios, and cantatas) in which a singer is allowed to adopt the rhythms and delivery of ordinary speech. Recitative does not repeat lines ...

(accompanied and unaccompanied) as well as dance movements and choruses, though here mingled with spoken verse

dialogue Dialogue (sometimes spelled dialog in American and British English spelling differences, American English) is a written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more people, and a literature, literary and theatrical form that depicts suc ...

. His use of the orchestra follows French and Italian practice in including guitars,

lute A lute ( or ) is any plucked string instrument with a neck (music), neck and a deep round back enclosing a hollow cavity, usually with a sound hole or opening in the body. It may be either fretted or unfretted. More specifically, the term "lu ...

s, and

harpsichord A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a musical keyboard, keyboard. Depressing a key raises its back end within the instrument, which in turn raises a mechanism with a small plectrum made from quill or plastic that plucks one ...

s amongst the continuo instruments. From 1693, after the exile of his predecessor

Sebastián Durón Sebastián Durón (19 April (baptized) 1660 – 3 August 1716) was a Spanish composer. Life and career Sebastián Durón Picazo was, with Antonio de Literes, the greatest Spanish composer of stage music of his time. He was born in Brihuega, ...

, Literes became the Master of the Capilla Real of

, playing the bass

viol The viola da gamba (), or viol, or informally gamba, is a bowed and fretted string instrument that is played (i.e. "on the leg"). It is distinct from the later violin family, violin, or ; and it is any one of the earlier viol family of bow (m ...

and soon being accounted the greatest Spanish court composer of his time.

Zarzuelas

His most famous work was ''

Acis y Galatea ''Acis y Galatea'' is a zarzuela by Antonio de Literes to a libretto by José de Cañizares. It was first performed on 19 December 1708 in Madrid at the theatre in the Buen Retiro Palace for the 25th birthday of King Philip V.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 ...

by José de Canizares, which enjoyed frequent performances in Madrid's Spanish court and public theatres until at least 1774. After 200 years of neglect it was recorded on CD in 2003 by

Al Ayre Español Al Ayre Español is a vocal and instrumental ensemble specialized on early music founded in 1988 by harpsichordist Eduardo López Banzo.Interview with Eduardo López Banzo owww.odb-opera.com/ref> The name of the ensemble was inspired by the title ...

, with an enthusiastic critical response. Another of his best ''zarzuelas'' is ''Júpiter y Sémele'' (1718), to a text by the same author. This survived in manuscript form in

Évora Évora ( , ), officially the Very Noble and Ever Loyal City of Évora (), is a city and a municipalities of Portugal, municipality in Portugal. It has 53,591 inhabitants (2021), in an area of . It is the historic capital of the Alentejo reg ...

and has also been successfully recorded by Al Ayre Español. The earlier through-sung, allegorical opera in

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

style ''Los elementos'' and the partially extant ''Júpiter y Danae'' have also been successfully revived.

Zarzuelas

:* ''Júpiter y Yo, los cielos premian desdenes'' (1699) attributed :* '' :es:Júpiter y Danae'' (1700). :* ''

. Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 05472 77385 2 *2001 – ''

Acis y Galatea ''Acis y Galatea'' is a zarzuela by Antonio de Literes to a libretto by José de Cañizares. It was first performed on 19 December 1708 in Madrid at the theatre in the Buen Retiro Palace for the 25th birthday of King Philip V.Al Ayre Español Al Ayre Español is a vocal and instrumental ensemble specialized on early music founded in 1988 by harpsichordist Eduardo López Banzo.Interview with Eduardo López Banzo owww.odb-opera.com/ref> The name of the ensemble was inspired by the title ...

. Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 05472 77522 2 *2003 – ''

Júpiter y Semele '' El estrago en la fineza, Júpiter y Semele'' is a Spanish-language zarzuela opera by Antonio de Literes Antoni de Literes (18 June 1673 Majorca – 18 January 1747 Madrid), also known as Antonio de Literes or Antoni Literes Carrión) wa ...

o El estrago en la fineza''.

. Harmonia Mundi Ibérica 987036.37 (2 CDs) *2004 – ''Júpiter y Danae''.

Capella de Ministrers Capella de Ministrers is an early music group formed in 1987 in Valencia, Spain, by Carles Magraner. Valencian music is prominent in its repertoire. Work Capella de Ministrers was formed in 1987 in Valencia by its director, the Valencian musicol ...

/ Blau CD 190 (2-CDs)

Bibliography

Antoni Pizà Antoni Pizà, born in Felanitx, Mallorca, Spain, in 1962, is a musicologist. After receiving a PhD at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York in 1994, he taught music history at Hofstra University in Long Island, New York. He also ta ...

. ''Antoni Literes: Introducció à la seva obra'' (Palma de Mallorca: Edicions Documenta Balear, 2002) * Acuña, Maria Virginia (2022), “Enamorados ridículos: acerca del humor y la parodia en ''Acis y Galatea'' (1708),” C''uadernos de Música Iberoamericana'' Vol. 35: 171–91.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Literes, Antonio De Spanish Baroque composers Spanish opera composers Spanish male opera composers 1673 births 1747 deaths People from Mallorca Musicians from the Balearic Islands 18th-century Spanish classical composers 18th-century Spanish male musicians