Giovanni Battista Gordigiani Italian singer (baritone), composer Country: Italy

1. Early Life and Education
2. Career as a Performer and Educator
3. Compositions

Early Life and Education

Giovan Battista Gordigiani (1790-1871) was an Italian baritone, composer, and music educator. Born in Padua, Italy, he was the brother of Luigi Gordigiani. Both brothers received their initial musical training from their father, Antonio Gordigiani, an opera singer and composer. Giovan Battista then studied at the Milan Conservatory.

Career as a Performer and Educator

Gordigiani sang for a time at the Florentine Opera and taught in Regensburg, Germany. In 1822, he settled in Prague as a professor at the Prague Conservatory, where he spent the rest of his life. He taught at the conservatory from 1822 to 1829 and again from 1838 to 1864. Among his students were Mathilde Mallinger, Terese Stoltz, and Alois Jídlíček.

In his teaching, Gordigiani emphasized the importance of Mozart's repertoire. He staged productions of "Don Giovanni," "The Marriage of Figaro," and "Così fan tutte" with his students, performing them in Italian, which was unusual for the Prague operatic scene in the 19th century. Gordigiani himself sang in these productions, notably the roles of Don Giovanni and Count Almaviva.

Compositions

Gordigiani also composed several operas, including "Pygmalion" (1845) and "Consuelo" (1845), as well as vocal and choral music and marches.