Cristiano Giuseppe Lidarti

Full biography Cristiano Giuseppe Lidarti

Cristiano Giuseppe Lidarti, also known as Christian Joseph Lidarti, was an Austrian composer born on February 23, 1730, in Vienna, Austria. Lidarti had Italian ancestry and spent most of his professional life teaching and performing in Italy. He is known for composing several works for the Portuguese Jewish community , including the music for the Hebrew Esther oratorio.

Lidarti started his music career as a violinist, but he soon began composing and conducting operas and oratorios. In 1752, he traveled to Italy to study with Niccolò Jommelli and became enchanted with the Italian music style. He later went on to compose and conduct works across Italy, including Milan, Parma, and Florence.

Lidarti's most famous work is Esther, an oratorio based on the biblical story of Queen Esther, which he composed in 1774. Rediscovered in 1997, Esther has been one of the most performed works of Lidarti's career, and it is the longest and richest work of all Portuguese Jewish Baroque music.

Aside from Esther, Lidarti composed a number of works for the Portuguese Jewish community, including oratorios, psalms, and hymns, as well as secular music such as operas and ballets.

Overall, Cristiano Giuseppe Lidarti was a pivotal figure in the development of Baroque music, particularly for the Portuguese Jewish community, and his works continue to be performed and appreciated today.