A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Petrella, Enrico

by George Grove

PETRELLA, Enrico, was born at Palermo Dec. 1 [App. p.746 "Dec. 10"], 1813, and learnt music at Naples under Zingarelli, Bellini, and Ruggi. He made his first appearance at Majella in 1829, with the opera 'Il Diavolo color di rosa.' It was followed by four others, and then, after an interval, by 'Le ^[1]Precauzioni,' [App. p.746 "May 20, 1851 at Naples"] which remains his masterpiece in comic opera. [App. p.746 "add 'Elena di Tolosa,' 1852."] At the Scala he brought out 'Marco Visconti' (1855) [App. p.746 "1854"]; 'L'Assedio di Leyda' (1856); 'Ione' (1858); 'Il duca di Scilla' (1859); and 'Morosina' (1862). After this nearly every year produced its opera, but we need only mention 'Giovanna Il di Napoli' (Naples, Feb. 27, 1869)—said in some respects to surpass 'Ione,' which up to that time was his chef-d'œuvre—and 'I promessi sposi' (Lecco, Oct. 2, 1869). For the latter Petrella was called before the curtain 27 times in the first evening! In 1873 he produced 'Manfredo' at Rome; it was greatly applauded, and a silver crown presented to the composer.

Petrella died at Genoa, April 7, 1877. In the biography in Mendel's Dictionary 19 operas of his are named, but there is apparently some error in the dates. His music, though often violently applauded by the enthusiastic Italians, pleased the more critical audience of the Scala only moderately, and has no permanent qualities. [App. p.746 "Add that his last work was 'Bianca Orsini,' produced at Naples, April 4, 1874. A more correct chronological list than that given by Mendel will be found in Pougin's supplement to Fétis, art. Petrella."]

[ G. ]

1. Performed at the Lyceum, London, March 21, 1871.