11 Facts About Giovanni Paisiello

Giovanni Paisiello was an Italian composer of the Classical era, and was the most popular opera composer of the late 1700s.

Giovanni Paisiello was born in Taranto in the Apulia region and educated by the Jesuits there.

Giovanni Paisiello became known for his beautiful singing voice and in 1754 was sent to the Conservatorio di S Onofrio at Naples, where he studied under Francesco Durante, and eventually became assistant master.

In 1772 Giovanni Paisiello began to write church music, and composed a requiem for Gennara di Borbone, of the reigning dynasty.

In 1776 Giovanni Paisiello was invited by the empress Catherine the Great of Russia to Saint Petersburg, where he remained for eight years, producing, among other charming works, his masterpiece, Il barbiere di Siviglia, which soon attained a European reputation.

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Giovanni Paisiello left Russia in 1784, and, after producing Il Re Teodoro at Vienna, entered the service of Ferdinand IV of Naples, where he composed many of his best operas, including Nina and La Molinara.

On his arrival at Naples Giovanni Paisiello was reinstated in his former appointments by Joseph Bonaparte and Joachim Murat, but he had taxed his genius beyond its strength, and was unable to meet the demands now made upon it for new ideas.

Giovanni Paisiello's health failed rapidly, and constitutional jealousy of the popularity of others was a source of worry and vexation.

Giovanni Paisiello is known to have composed 94 operas, which are known for their gracefully beautiful melodies.

Giovanni Paisiello wrote a great deal of church music, including eight masses; as well as fifty-one instrumental compositions and many stand-alone songs.

Giovanni Paisiello composed the Inno al Re, the national anthem of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.