Menotti, Gian Carlo

Menotti, Gian Carlo (b Cadegliano, It., 1911). It.-born composer, librettist, and conductor, mainly resident in USA and Scotland. Taught at Curtis Inst. 1948–55. Formed lifelong friendship with the composer Samuel Barber. His tendency as composer was always towards opera and his first adult essay, Amelia Goes to the Ball, was cond. by Reiner in 1937 and later at NY Met. As with all his operas, he wrote his own lib. First outstanding success was in 1946 with The Medium, but this was eclipsed in 1950 by The Consul, dealing with the plight of refugees at the mercy of heartless bureaucracy. Amahl and the Night Visitors was the first opera to be written for TV in America. His works have achieved considerable popularity and his intention to bring opera nearer to the Broadway theatregoer has been achieved if at some cost in originality of expression. But of his dramatic effectiveness and melodic gift there can be no doubt. Founded Fest. of Two Worlds at Spoleto, It. and Charleston, USA, 1958. Wrote lib. for Barber's operas Vanessa (1957) and A Hand of Bridge (1958). Prod. Vanessa (Salzburg 1958). Works incl.:OPERAS: Amelia Goes to the Ball (Amelia al Ballo) (1934–7); The Old Maid and the Thief (1939); The Island God (1942, withdrawn); The Medium (1945); The Telephone (1946); The Consul (1949); Amahl and the Night Visitors (1951, TV); The Saint of Bleecker Street (1954); Maria Golovin (1958); The Last Savage (1963); The Labyrinth (TV, 1963); Martin's Lie (1964); Help! Help! the Globolinks (1968, children); The Most Important Man (1971); Tamu-Tamu (1973); The Hero (1976); The Egg (1976); The Trial of the Gipsy (1978); Chip and his Dog (1978); La Loca (1979); A Bride from Pluto (1981–2); The Boy Who Grew Too Fast (1982); Goya (1986); The Wedding (1988).BALLETS: Sebastian (1944); Errand into the Maze (1947); The Unicorn, the Gorgon, and the Manticore (1956).ORCH.: pf. conc. No.1 (1945), No.2 (1982); Apocalypse, sym.-poem (1951); vn. conc. (1952); triple conc. a tre (1970); Halcyon Symphony (1976); db. conc. (1983).VOCAL: The Death of the Bishop of Brindisi (1963); Landscapes and Remembrances (1976); Nocturne, sop., str. qt., hp. (1982); For the Death of Orpheus, ten., ch., orch. (1990).