After training a musician in his native city, he went to Mannheim, Germany where he began his career contributing six arias to the opera Caio Fabrizio (1760) whose primary musical author was Niccolò Jommelli.
Following the success of this work, he was given a commission to write an opera on his own for the Teatro Regio Ducale in Milan.
[1] Colla was appointed maestro di cappella to the court of Parma in January 1766.
He was later appointed director at that theater in 1780; a post he held until his death in Parma on March 16, 1806.
He also wrote sacred music, such as cantatas and the oratorio Ester, several sinfonias, and a number of secular arias and duets.