Egidio Duni

Full biography Egidio Duni

Egidio Duni was an Italian composer who lived from 1708 to 1775. He was born in Matera, Italy, and began his musical career as a choirboy in Naples. After completing his musical education, he worked as a composer and conductor in various European countries like France, Italy, and England.

Duni composed in a variety of genres, including opera, chamber music, and vocal music. He is considered an important figure in the opera seria tradition, having composed many operas in that style. His operas were known for their lyricism, sincerity, and poetic quality, and they were quite popular in their time.

One of Duni's most significant contributions to Italian opera was the creation of the "intermezzo," a comic opera performed between the acts of a larger, serious operatic work. This genre became quite popular during the 18th century and is seen as a precursor to the modern operatic genre of the "opera buffa."

Duni was also highly regarded as a composer of chamber music. His string quartets were particularly influential in the development of the genre, and many of his works were performed and admired by other great composers of the time, including Mozart and Beethoven.

Throughout his life, Duni remained committed to his love of music and dedicated himself wholeheartedly to his craft. He left behind an impressive body of work that continues to be enjoyed and appreciated by music lovers around the world.