Description
Greece, placed in the center of the Mediterranean basin, has always been a crossroads of goods, ideas and people. During the 19th century, the Greek Revolution inspired artists, poets and musicians who stood beside the Greek people and created masterpieces. Alongside, the Ionian Islands, being under Venetian - instead of Ottoman - rule for many centuries, were the part of Greece closer to Western culture and commerce. Musical migration of Greek and Italian musicians was a natural phenomenon, and research has revealed numerous significant personalities.
Riccardo Bonicioli (Zara 1853-Como 1933), born in Zadar (Dalmatia) - a territory that changed multiple occupiers – had Italian roots from his mother. Although little is known today for his life and work, documents indicate that he was a very active conductor and composer of his era. Traces of his activity are discovered from Greece, Odessa and Italy as far as Argentina. Many documents prove his musical career in Greece for a long period during the 19th century. Due to the fact that he mingled with so many different cultures and histories, and also at a time when nations required their entity, he composed musical works inspired by Greek, Italian and Argentinian history (Marco Botzari, In morte di Giuseppe Garibaldi, Juan de Garay).
This paper aims to compose a brief picture of Bonicioli’s route and work. Light is shed on a document kept in the Department of Manuscripts and Facsimiles of the National Library of Greece; this document gives clues for the music of his opera Marco Botzari (as the score is ignored). Markos Botsaris, the emblematic figure of the Greek Revolution, inspired many 19th century composers. Furthermore, Bonicioli’s musical compositions dedicated to Garibaldi and Botsaris are also considered in parallel.
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