Biography of Arrigo Boito

Between good and evil

4 February 1842 10 February 1918 poet, storyteller and composer Arrigo Boito is known for his mephistophelian melodrama and opera librettos. Arrigo Boito was born in Padua on 4 February 1842; from 1854 he studied violin, piano and composition at the Milan Conservatory. After his studies he went to Paris with Franco Faccio where makes contact with Gioacchino Rossini when they lived on the outskirts of the French capital. Poland, Germany, Belgium will travel then Baldwin and England. Back in Milan, and after a period in which lends itself to accomplish various jobs, in 1862 he writes the lyrics for the "hymn of the Nations" which later will be music by Giuseppe Verdi for the universal exhibition in London. Following years of work, interrupted only for two months in 1866 during which, with Do and Emilio Praga, Arrigo Boito following Giuseppe Garibaldi in his action in Trentino. In 1868 at La Scala in Milan is represented his work "Mephistopheles", based on "Faust" by Goethe. At its premiere it is accepted graciously, insomuch that causes riots and clashes over the alleged implied "Wagnerism". After two performances the police decide to stop the executions. Baldwin subsequently revise drastically the work, reducing it: the part of Faust, written for a baritone, is rewritten in tenor clef. The new version is performed at the Teatro Comunale of Bologna in 1876 and achieved great success; unique among the compositions of Boito, enters the Repertoire of works still represented and recorded frequently. In the following years Boito is dedicated to writing librettos for other composers. The most remarkable results relate to "La Gioconda" by Amilcare Ponchielli, which uses the pseudonym Tobia Gorrio, anagram of his name, "Othello" (1883) and Falstaff (1893) by Giuseppe Verdi. Other booklets are "Hamlet" to Do, "Scythe" for Alfredo Catalani and the Remaking of the text of "Simon Boccanegra" (1881) to Verdi. Its production also consists of poems, short stories and essays, mainly for the "Gazzetta musicale". His poems cover almost always despairing and romantic theme of conflict between good and evil, and "Mephistopheles" is its most emblematic example. Baldwin Writes a second work entitled "hero and Leander", but dissatisfied destroys it. Then he starts composing a work that promises for years, the "Nero". In 1901 publishes its literary text, but fails to complete the work. Will be completed later by Arturo Toscanini and Vincenzo Tommasini: "Nero" is performed for the first time at La Scala the day May 1, 1924. Director of the Conservatory of Parma from 1889 to 1897, Arrigo Boito died on June 10, 1918 in Milan: his body rests in the monumental cemetery.
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