Francesco Bianchi

Giuseppe Francesco Bianchi (1752 – 27 November 1810) was an Italian opera composer of the Classical era. Born in Cremona, Lombardy, he studied with Pasquale Cafaro and Niccolò Jommelli, and worked mainly in London, Paris, and the Italian operatic centres of Venice, Naples, Rome, Milan, Turin, and Florence. He was the maestro al cembalo (keyboard accompanist) at the Comédie-Italienne in Paris between 1775 and 1778. He later served as the deputy chapel master maestro di capella at the Milan Cathedral between 1782 and 1793. Concurrently, he was an organist at St. Mark's Basilica in Venice between 1785 and 1791, then was centered in Venice as the organist there between 1792 and 1797. His connections with London began in 1794, and he was also the director of the theatres in Dublin between 1798 and 1802. From his time, except for occasional travel to the continent, mainly to Paris, up to 1807, he was centered in or near London for the remainder of his life.

He wrote at least 78 operas of all genres, mainly in the field of Italian opera, but also some works in French. These include the drammi per musica (opere serie) Castore e Polluce (Florence 1779); Arbace and Zemira (both Naples, 1781); Alonso e Cora (Venice, 1786); Calto and La morte di Cesare (both Venice, 1788); and Seleuco, re di Siria (Venice, 1791). In addition, he achieved notable success with the opera buffa La villanella rapita (Süttör, 1784). As performed at the Burgtheater in Vienna in 1785, the latter featured additional vocal pieces by Mozart (the quartet "Dite almeno in che mancai?", K. 479, and the terzetto "Mandina amabile", K. 480).

Bianchi committed suicide in Hammersmith, London, in November 1810, probably due to family troubles, in particular grief over the death of his only child, a daughter who died at the age of five in 1807. He was buried alongside his daughter in the churchyard of the old Kensington Church, now St Mary Abbots, Kensington.

His widow published parts of his "theoretical work" in the Quarterly Music Review for 1820/1821.

Read more about this composer on Wikipedia.