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| Composers Biography - Languages - |  |
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(Johannes) Simon Mayr
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In 1774, Simon Mayr was admitted to the Jesuit college in Ingolstadt and in 1781 enrolled in the university there to study theology: during this time he though himself to play almost all the string and wind instruments and also studied the organ. An encouragement from Piccinni caused him to take up opera. In 1799 Mayr made his dèbut at La Scala di Milano: thereafter he tended to write his "opere serie" largely for La Scala, for theatres in Naples and for La Fenice di Venezia. Italian productions of this work continued for over 30 years, long after its composer's reputation had been eclipsed by Rossini, Mercadante and Donizetti. In 1802 he succeded Lenzi as "maestro di cappella" in Bergamo, and in 1805 was made director of the cathedral choir school: he held these two posts for the rest of his life.
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harmonic and melodic vocabulary used by Mayr remained basically that of the Neapolitan
opera composers.
He wrote more than 50 operas.
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