Biografie/Biography:
 |
Antônio Carlos Gomes
(11. Juli 1836 - 16. September 1896) gilt als
bedeutendster romantischer Komponist Brasiliens.
Nachdem er bereits früh als Komponist
hervorgetreten war, studierte Gomes seit 1860
am Konservatorium von Rio de Janeiro. 1864 ging
er auf Veranlassung des Kaisers Pedro II. nach
Mailand, wo er Schüler von Lauro Rossi
wurde. 1866 bestand er das Kompositionsexamen
des Konservatoriums von Mailand. In den folgenden
Jahren lebte er als Komponist in Italien, wo
zahlreiche seiner Opern an den großen
Opernhäusern aufgeführt wurden. 1895
wurde er Leiter des Konservatoriums von Belém
de Pará.
Zum Jubiläum der Unabhängigkeitserklärung
der Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika komponierte
er die Hymne Saudação do Brasil.
Das Oratorium Colombo für Chor und Orchester
zur Vierjahrhundertfeier der Entdeckung Amerikas
durch Columbus gilt als ein Schlüsselwerk
der brasilianischen Musikgeschichte. Außerdem
komponierte Gomes eine Messe, Canzonetten, Männerchöre,
Lieder und Klavierstücke.
Die 1868-70 erschaffene Oper 'O Guarani' von Antônio
Carlos Gomes gilt als Meilenstein der brasilianischen
Musikgeschichte. Sie feierte ihre Uraufführung
an der Mailänder Scala und wurde anschließend
in ganz Europa gespielt. Giuseppe Verdi sagte
nach der Uraufführung, Gomes beginne da,
wo er selbst augehört habe ('Questo giovane
comincia dove finisco io!').
Antônio Carlos Gomes (July 11, 1836 - September
16, 1896) is one of the most distinguished nineteenth
century classical composers, being the first New
World composer whose work was accepted by Europe.
He was born in the village of São Carlos,
which is now the city of Campinas, Brazil, son
of Maestro Manuel José Gomes and Fabiana
Maria Jaguari Cardoso.
His childhood's musical tendencies were soon
stimulated by his father and by his older brother
José Pedro de Sant'Ana Gomes, also a
Conductor. José Pedro was the most dedicated
guide and adviser in his brother's artistic
career. He convinced Antônio to visit
the Court where he became a protegé of
the Emperor Dom Pedro II, who, being notoriously
interested in the careers of Brazilian artists
and intellectuals, made possible for Antônio
Carlos to study at the Musical Conservatory
of Rio de Janeiro.
After having graduated with honors, Carlos
produced his first opera, A Noite Do Castelo
(September 1861). It was a big success. Two
years later, he repeated it with his second
opera, Joana De Flandres, which was considered
superior to the first. These two pieces convinced
the Emperor to offer him a Royal scholarship
to study in Italy in 1864. He studied in Milan
at the local Conservatory and completed in three
years a course which was normally completed
in four years, obtaining the title of Maestro
Composer.
Interested in composing an opera which dealt
with a truly Brazilian subject, Carlos Gomes
choose as the theme of his next work the romance
novel O Guarani, by Brazilian writer José
de Alencar. The opera was given an Indian subject
and setting and it premiered in May of 1870
at the La Scala Theater in Milan as Il Guarany.
The success was enormous. Even the most strict
musical critics compared the Brazilian musician
to the great European maestros, such as Rossini
and Verdi. The King of Italy, Victor Emmanuel
II, decorated the creator of the opera, which
was presented in all major European capitals.
Before that year was over, Gomes returned to
Brazil where he organized the premiere of Il
Guarany in Rio de Janeiro. The piece achieved
the same success Gomes had seen in Italy.
|
|
