Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari

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 Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari Life

Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari is a bit forgotten as a composer, though before World War I his operas were played all over the world; the reason that he is almost fogotten now, might be that he composed in a somewhat archaic style: he was a master of the melody, whereas in the time he composed melody was merely associated with operettas and other light music.

His style is highly reminiscent of Mozart, and in its most modern moments one is reminded of Wagner, Puccini and Richard Strauss.

However, he can also be seen as an innovator of the Opera Buffa, which had its most important contributers with Pergolesi, Mozart, Rossini and Donizetti; Wolf-Ferrari enriches this genre with early twentieth-century features.

His nationality was mixed (italian-german); in Munich he learns counterpoint from the academic Organist-Compoiser Rheinberger.

His contact with Verdi and Boito leads to his first opera: “La Cenerentola” (1899).

The piece for choir “La vita nuova” (1901) is his first succes; he finds his own style in the comic opera “Le donne curiose” (1902): lighthearted music, with a witty libretto, mostly after Goldoni or Molière.

Strangely, he is successful in Germany, but not in Italy; his early operas have their first performances in Germany: “Il quattro rusteghi” (1906) and “Il segreto di Susanna” (1909) make him world-famous.

He becomes depressed: for more than ten years he doesn't compose; in 1926 his creativity returns (his last operas are his best), but not his success.