Domenico Della-Maria

After this success, Della Maria travelled through Italy as a mandolinist and violoncellist and did not continue his musical education until he came under the influence of Paisiello in Naples, some years later.

Paisiello manifested more than ordinary interest in his talented pupil, the mandolin virtuoso, and had shown his appreciation of the musical value of the instrument by employing it in the score of his opera, Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), which had been composed a few years previously in St.

[1] Della Maria, resided in Italy for about ten years, during the latter part of which period he wrote light works for numerous secondary Italian theatres.

This interview proved to be the commencement of a productive friendship; in Duval's words, Della Maria's classical, soulful countenance and his natural and original demeanor inspired a confidence in the poet that was found to be entirely justified.

Duval had just completed Le prisonnier (The Prisoner), which had been commissioned for the Theatre Français; however, the desire to gratify the request of Della Maria convinced him to write an opera.

It established the name of Della Maria throughout France as an operatic composer of repute, for he immediately brought out six other operas, his works being now great favourites with Parisians.

[1] The brilliant success of The Prisoner, was due to two primary causes, the first of which was the melodiousness and simplicity of the vocal parts, under a duly subservient and subdued skilful orchestration, while the second factor was his most fortunate choice of artists responsible for the principal characters.

La Fausse Duegne (The false wife) was left unfinished by the sudden death of Della Maria, and in 1802 Blangini was commissioned to complete the work.

They had only completed arrangements for retiring to the country together, intending to write a new opera, when Della Maria died on 9 March 1800, seized by an illness and fell in the Rue St. Honoré.