Poniatowski, Józef (Michal Xsawery Franciszek Jan), Prince of Monte Rotondo

views updated

Poniatowski, Józef (Michal Xsawery Franciszek Jan), Prince of Monte Rotondo

Poniatowski, Józef (Michal Xsawery Franciszek Jan), Prince of Monte Rotondo , Polish tenor and composer; b. Rome, Feb. 20, 1816; d. Chislehurst, England, July 3, 1873. He was a member of the Polish nobility; his uncle was a marshal in Napoleon’s army. He studied in Florence, and appeared on the stage as a tenor. He then wrote operas (to Italian and French librettos). In 1848 he went to Paris and was elevated to the rank of Senator by Napoleon III; after the fall of the 2nd Empire, he went to England. In addition to operas, he also composed the popular ballad, The Yeoman’s Wedding Song.

Works

DRAMATIC: Opera: Giovanni da Procida (Florence, Nov. 25, 1838); Don Desiderio, ossia Il disperato per eccesso di buon cuore (Pisa, Dee. 26, 1840); Ruy Bias (Lucca, Sept. 2, 1843); Bonifazio de’ Geremei (Rome, Nov. 28, 1843); La sposa d’Abido (Venice, Feb. 1845); Malek-Adel (Genoa, June 26, 1846); Esmeralde (Florence, June 26, 1847); Pierre de Médius (Paris, March 9, 1860); Au travers du mur (Paris, May 9, 1861); L’Aventurier (Paris, Jan. 26, 1865); La Contessina (Paris, April 28, 1868); Gelmina (London, June 4, 1872).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire

About this article

Poniatowski, Józef (Michal Xsawery Franciszek Jan), Prince of Monte Rotondo

Updated About encyclopedia.com content Print Article