Happy Birthday Antonio Salieri (August 18, 1750) and Opera Sunday!

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Hi WA Friends!

Please help me celebrate Antonio Salieri's birthday!

You may recognize him from the movie Amadues, which I mentioned briefly in my post on Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik:

https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/frankb-1/blog/happy-anniversary-eine-kleine-nachtmusik-mozarts-most-famous-serenade-aug-10-1787

A Little History

(With the help of ChatGPT)

Antonio Salieri was born on August 18, 1750, in Legnago, a town in the Republic of Venice (modern-day Italy). After the death of his parents, he moved to Venice to study music under the composer Giovanni Battista Pescetti.

In 1766, the Austrian composer Florian Leopold Gassmann brought him to Vienna, where he was appointed as the court composer and conductor of the Italian opera by Emperor Joseph II.

One of Salieri’s most significant achievements was his ability to bridge the gap between the baroque style of music and the emerging classical style. His operas, such as Armida (1771), Les Danaïdes (1784), and Tarare (1787), showcased his versatility and mastery of the operatic form. He also composed sacred music, including the Mass in D Major and numerous motets, reflecting his deep connection to the church.

Honors and Awards

(Courtesy of ChatGPT)

During his lifetime, Antonio Salieri received significant recognition for his contributions to music. As a court composer for the Habsburg monarchy, he was awarded various prestigious positions and titles, which were marks of high esteem in the cultural landscape of the time. These included:

  • Court Composer for Emperor Joseph II: Salieri was appointed in 1774 and held the position for decades, producing numerous operas and other works for the imperial court.
  • Director of the Italian Opera in Vienna: Salieri held this prominent post, where he was responsible for overseeing the production of Italian operas at the court.
  • Kapellmeister of the Imperial Chapel: In 1788, Salieri succeeded Giuseppe Bonno as the chief conductor of the Imperial Chapel, a prestigious position that he held until 1824.
  • Order of the Golden Spur: Awarded by Pope Pius VI in recognition of his contributions to church music.

Though awards in the modern sense were less common during Salieri's time, these positions and titles were equivalent to the highest honors a musician could receive.

Salieri's Works

(Courtesy of ChatGPT)

Given that Antonio Salieri was an 18th-century composer, his works were not recorded during his lifetime. However, many of his compositions have been recorded in modern times. Below is a list of some of his notable works, including operas, orchestral pieces, and sacred music, along with their modern recordings.

I strongly recommend you check out Salieri's opera Les Danaïdes!

Operas:

  1. Armida (1771) – A notable early opera that established Salieri's reputation.
  2. Les Danaïdes (1784) – One of Salieri's most successful operas, originally attributed to Gluck.
  3. Tarare (1787) – A French opera that showcases Salieri's dramatic flair.
  4. Falstaff, ossia Le tre burle (1799) – A comic opera based on Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor.
  5. La cifra (1789) – A lesser-known opera but one that reflects his mature style.

Sacred Music:

  1. Mass in D Major (1788) – One of his most celebrated masses.
  2. Requiem in C minor (1804) – Composed towards the end of his life, reflecting his deep religious conviction.

Instrumental Works:

  1. 26 Variations on 'La Follia di Spagna' (1815) – A set of variations for orchestra.
  2. Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in B-flat major (1773) – A fine example of his work outside the opera genre.

Salieri’s operas, particularly Les Danaïdes and Tarare, are among his most popular works today, with numerous modern recordings available that have helped to revive interest in his music.

Opera Sunday - The Highlight Of Every Weekend!

On Sunday, I'm still a little bit rock and roll, but it's always opera day, so I make it a point to listen to three or four hours of my favorite composers! Although I have a pretty good collection of operatic albums, I love what's available on the Sirius XM Opera Chanel as the Met Opera Radio!

https://www.metopera.org/season/radio/sirius-weekly-schedule/

The Music:

This Sunday, we will be celebrating Salieri's birthday with some old friends, a gourmet dinner, and Acts I and II of Falstaff, ossia Le tre burle (or The Three Jokes). It is performeded by the Salieri Chamber Orchestra. Our priest loves opera and frequently comes to savor the music, eat, and bless the house.

As stated above, it's a comic opera based on Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor. This particular arrangement is presented as 32 tracks in about 2 ½ hours of opera.

Here is the participant listing:

  • Salieri Chamber Orchestra [Orchestra],
  • Tamas Pal [Conductor],
  • Jozsef Gregor [Bass],
  • Maria Zempleni [Soprano],
  • Denes Gulyas [Tenor],
  • Istvan Gati [Baritone],
  • Eva Panczel [Mezzo-Soprano],
  • Tamas Csurja [Baritone],
  • Eva Vamossy [Soprano],
  • Salieri Chamber Chorus [Chorus/Choir]

Spotify has a wonderful collection of fifty titles on Salieri Chamber Orchestra Radio!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1E4DhuRWyL7FsN

The Dinner:

Seven-Course Gourmet Dinner Menu For An Evening of Opera

We need enough food for about 2 ½ hours of music, and my wife came up with a spectacular seven-course menu, with a little help from ChatGPT. AI has made Google search results virtually obsolete in our house!

My wife cooks all the food but uses a catering service that helps her prepare it, serves it, and cleans up after the dinner. This allows her to sit down and enjoy eating.

The menu is sort of like a fancy surf and turf, Lol. We have several gourmet food stores that we shop at, and between them, we can order practically anything we need to put together a great meal.

Stacy buys most of the liquor for our 120-bottle wine room and does a wonderful job pairing alcoholic beverages with the food she prepares.

Of course, every gourmet meal begins with an amuse-bouche.

1. Amuse-Bouche: Truffle Deviled Quail Eggs

  • Main Ingredients: Quail eggs, black truffle oil, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, chives, Maldon sea salt, and black pepper.
  • Pairing: Veuve Clicquot Brut Champagne
  • Comment: If you've never had quail eggs, I recommend you give them a try!

2. First Course: Lobster Bisque

  • Main Ingredients: Fresh lobster, heavy cream, brandy, shallots, garlic, tomato paste, fennel, tarragon, and fish stock.
  • Pairing: Veuve Clicquot Brut Champagne

3. Second Course: Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

  • Main Ingredients: Roasted red and golden beets, goat cheese, arugula, candied walnuts, balsamic reduction, extra virgin olive oil, and micro-greens.
  • Pairing: Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc
  • Comment: My wife has a thing for micro-greens, especially radish, arugula, broccoli, and beets. They do have some potential health benefits.

4. Third Course: Foie Gras with Fig Compote

  • Main Ingredients: Foie gras, fresh figs, port wine, honey, brioche, and sea salt.
  • Pairing: Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc
  • Comment: This is one of our favorite courses, so we add it to lots of meals, and Stacy makes a fabulous fig compote!

5. Fourth Course: Seared Scallops with Lemon Beurre Blanc

  • Main Ingredients: Fresh sea scallops, lemon, unsalted butter, white wine, shallots, cream, and fresh thyme.
  • Pairing: Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc

6. Main Course: Filet Mignon with Truffle Mashed Potatoes and Asparagus

  • Main Ingredients: Prime filet mignon, black truffle butter, Yukon gold potatoes, heavy cream, butter, fresh asparagus, and garlic.
  • Pairing: Chateau Larose-Trintaudon (Haut-Medoc)
  • Comment: We have a great butcher who provides us with prime dry-aged steak. We like the marbling level of USDA Prime, which is not as fatty as Wagyu beef.

    We always have a dinner break after the main course to stretch our legs and digest.
  • Italian digestant: Two parts Fernet-Branca and one part Creme de Menthe.

7. Dessert: Stacy's Opera Cake

  • Main Ingredients: Almond sponge cake, coffee buttercream, dark chocolate ganache, espresso, and gold leaf.
  • Pairing: Graham’s 10 Year Old Tawny Port
  • Comment: My wife uses gold leaf strictly as a garnish, although you can buy "edible" gold leaf.
  • Coffee: Intelligentsia Black Cat Classic Espresso, which is a lighter roasted bean with a somewhat chocolatey taste. For those who prefer something less intense, we offer them a cappuccino.

Tell Me What You Think

Are you a fan of opera, and if so, what are your favorite compositions? If you've never seen an opera performed live, I strongly recommend you attend one when you get the opportunity!

I hope that gives you a better look into my world of opera and classical music, which became a bit of an obsession when I was about ten years old. When I'm not playing Iron Maiden music on a guitar, listening to a Rolling Stones playlist, being inspired by a Miles Davis jazz riff, or deep in the blues with Robert Johnson, you'll find me totally absorbed in operatic splendor!

Happy Birthday, Antonio Salieri 🎂, AND ...

Keep On Rockin'It! 🤘

Frank 🎸

~70% Human written content.

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Recent Comments

36

Hi Frank as close as I have been to opera is the voice of Andrea Bocelli who I like a lot, sounds like a cracking meal similar to what I sampled at some resort I stopes at in Big Sur years ago. On another note Nick McBrain was a regular at one of my places, used to come in for a traditional Sunday lunch, I had some laughs with him and go the Stones! Take care Rob

Hi Rob

Yeah, it was a great meal, and the company and music made it even better. 😎

I love Andrea Bocelli!

Too bad about what happened to Nicko. Such a great band!

Rock On, 🤘
Frank 🎸

Wow, Frank, such a wonderful delight! Happy Birthday, Antonio Salieri!

Sounds like a wonderful meal.

I did get to listen to a little bit of opera when I was younger but it sure feels good to get back into it again. Thanks to Spotify and YouTube!

Myra ♥️

Hi Myra

Yeah, all we had a great time!

I'm so glad you're streaming opera online. There's nothing like being exposed to music and art at a young age. 👍😎

Frank 🤘 🎸

Good morning Frank,

I'm not sure about opera, but I do like your wife's menu, that looks amazing! A 7 course meal is quite impressive for 2 1/2 hours opera! Did the meal last the full 2 1/2 hours?!

I tried to open the Spotify link, but it wanted me to open a free account, maybe there is a link on YouTube with similar music.

Have a fantastic day.

Roy

Hi Roy

Yeah, we took about a 30-minute break before starting the main course, so the music and the dinner finished very close to each other.

Everyone had a great time, but they were all big opera fans. I always learn a lot from the musical discussions at the table throughout the night! 😎

Rock On! 🤘
Frank 🎸

Good morning Frank,

It sounds like you had a wonderful evening with great food and music. It also sounds like it was very carefully planned and organised.👍

It's nice when you have people around the table who are on the same wavelength, Frank! Good for you for making it happen.

Have a fantastic Friday.

Roy

Hi Roy

We have a lot of informal get-togethers, but every once in a while we plan a big one.

It takes quite a bit of effort. Stacy cooks and bakes all the food. However, we use an excellent catering service to make things easier.

They help her prepare the dishes and serve the food, so she can sit down to eat and enjoy the company. They clean up, too.

We had an informal celebration of Debbie Davies’ birthday last night with food on the grill.

It was lots of fun enjoying the company of others and listening to great blues music.

You can read about it in my latest WA post.

Happy Friday! 🥳🎶
Frank 🎸

Good morning Frank,

It sounds like you have some really great times, Frank, well done for making it happen!

That sounds like a wonderful idea to use a catering service. My father-in-law in Greece organised a pre-marriage meal for close friends and family, a couple of days before our wedding. It was wonderful to be served in the garden and everything done for us! So I can definitely see where you're coming from, even though your wife is helping.

I must admit that I had to look up Debbie Davies, as I hadn't heard of her, Frank! I'm sure there are so many great musicians that I have never heard of!

You can't beat human company and having fun with people, Frank.

Have a wonderful Monday.

Incidentally, it's a Bank holiday here in the UK. It's supposed to mark the end of summer! The next bank holiday here is Christmas Day!

Roy

Hi Roy

Be sure to have a listen to some of Debbie’s music. I think you will like her take on the blues. Listen closely and you’ll hear Albert Collin’s musical influence. 😎

Yesterday was Wayne Shorter’s birthday; the extraordinary jazz saxophone player!

Check out my listening recommendations in my latest WA post on Wayne.

Have an outstanding bank holiday! 🥳

Frank 🤘🎸

Good morning Frank,

You certainly each and breathe music, Frank, and that's not a bad thing!

I must admit that the two names you mention, I hadn't heard of either of them! However, I guess there are many great musicians!

Thank you for the good wishes, it's nice to have a bank holiday.

Have a fantastic Tuesday, Frank.

Roy

Hi Roy

Yup, I’ve always been maximally immersed in all things musical! 😎

Add them both to your playlist and I’ll bet you’ll be glad you did!

Happy Tuesday!
Frank 🎸

Good morning Frank,

And it appears that you have very much enjoyed it, Frank which is fantastic!👍👍

I cannot argue with that, Frank, I know exactly where you're coming from!

Have a fantastic day.

Roy

Same to you, Roy! 😎

Happy Wednesday,
Frank 🎸

Wow! Your wife actually prepares that menu? I'm impressed!

My son has a little flock of quail and sells the eggs at our one-and-only health food store. He would find the recipe most interesting.

Your opera night sounds fabulous! When my son's father and I were together, we often had a Sunday night music night, at a different person's house each week...of course, there were repeats, as he had many friends with a great collection of classical recordings. The host would put together the selections for the evening and we'd all come and listen. Enjoyable and educational!

Hi Fran

My wife does all the cooking, but for a dinner like that, she uses a catering service that helps her prepare everything and then serves it to our guests so she gets to sit with us and enjoy the meal. They also do a lot of the cleanup.

Yeah, it's like a night at the opera, but in the comfort of our home. However, we always jump at the chance to see live performances!

You should restart the Sunday music nights with your music-loving friends. It doesn't have to be extravagant, just a reason to get together to celebrate the joy of sound.

We have been celebrating the birthdays of famous musicians and composers for years. There's always something going on between that and all the family birthdays. Lol 😎

Rock On! 🤘
Frank 🎸

I like Venice. We used to fly into Venice airport when we worked over there, That's a scary landing, you think you are landing on the sea until the last minute.
Hope you are well.
Bux

Hi Bux

Yeah, Venice is always a great experience. I lived in Italy for over three years and had the time of my life. 😎

Keep on Rockin' it! 🤘
Frank 🎸

Sounds like you’re having the time of your life right now too.

Hahaha, Yeah, I'm cruising into full-retirement fun, Bux! 😎😎

Frank 🤘🎸

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