Giacomo Cordella (Naples, 25 July 1786 – Naples, 8 May 1847) was an Italian composer.
Cordella studied in Naples with Fedele Fenaroli and Giovanni Paisiello. In 1804 he composed his first work, a cantata entitled La Vittoria dell'Arca contro Gerico.[1] With the help of Paisiello in 1805 he had the possibility to produce in Venice his first opera, Il ciarlatano, which was appreciated for its comic verve and then performed in other cities in northern Italy, including Milan, Turin and Padua.
Cordella continued his activity mainly in Naples, where he was appreciated for his opere buffe, while his few opere serie met with failures. His greatest success was Una follia,[2] first performed in 1813, an opera buffa featuring "a vivacious plot and a melody that flows agreeably".[3] Cordella composed also sacred music.
| Title | Genre | Subdivisions! | Libretto | Première date | Theatre | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Il ciarlatano, ossia I finti savoiardi | farsa giocosa | 1 act | Luigi Buonavoglia | 11 February 1805 | Venice, Teatro San Moisè | |
| L'albergatrice scaltra | 27 June 1807 | Naples, Teatro San Carlo | ||||
| Annibale in Capua | dramma per musica | 2 acts | Antonio Simeone Sografi (attribution uncertain) | 21 October 1809 | Naples, Teatro San Carlo | |
| L'isola incantata | farsa | 1 act | Summer 1809 | Naples, Teatro Nuovo | ||
| Una follia | commedia per musica | 2 acts | 1813 | Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini | ||
| L'avaro | commedia per musica | 2 acts | Giuseppe Palomba | Autumn 1814 | Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini | |
| L'azzardo fortunato | commedia per musica | 1 act | Andrea Leone Tottola | Carnival 1815 | Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini | |
| La rappresaglia, ovvero Amore alla prova | Cesare Sterbini | 26 December 1818 | Rome, Teatro Valle | |||
| Il contraccambio | dramma giocoso | 2 acts | Cesare Sterbini | Carnival 1819 | Rome, Teatro Valle | |
| Lo scaltro millantatore | commedia per musica | 2 acts | Giuseppe Palomba | 16 July 1819 | Naples, Teatro Nuovo | |
| Lo sposo di provincia | commedia per musica | 2 acts | 29 September 1821 | Rome, Teatro Argentina | ||
| Il castello degli invalidi | farsa | 1 act | 1823 | Naples, Teatro Nuovo | ||
| Il frenetico per amore | melodramma | 2 acts | Autumn 1824 | Naples, Teatro Nuovo | ||
| Alcibiade | azione eroica | 2 acts | Luigi Prividali | 26 December 1824 | Venice, Teatro La Fenice | |
| Gli avventurieri | melodramma giocoso | 2 acts | 6 September 1825 | Milan, Teatro della Canobbiana | ||
| La bella prigioniera | opera buffa | 2 acts | 1826 | Naples, Teatro del Fondo | ||
| Il marito disperato | commedia giocosa per musica | 2 acts | Andrea Passaro, after a comedy with the same title by Giovanni Battista Lorenzi | Lent 1833 | Naples, Teatro del Fondo | |
| I due furbi | commedia per musica | 2 acts | Giuseppe Palomba, revision by Andrea Passaro | 16 July 1835 | Naples, Teatro Nuovo | |
| Matilde di Lanchefort | melodramma storico | 2 acts | Andrea Passaro | Spring 1838 | Naples, Teatro del Fondo | |
| L'abitator delle rupi | ||||||
| Le nozze campestri | dramma per musica | 1 act | Giovanni Schmidt | 30 May 1840 | Naples, Teatro San Carlo |
Cordella composed many other works, including masses, motets and works for small ensembles.
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