Life
His training was situated in the complex climate of the Fin de siècle, where Realism and Decadentism coexisted, while his artistic maturity was expressed in the early 20th century, an era marked by the coexistence of symbolist and decadent aesthetics and the radical rupture of avant-gardes like Futurism.
Riccardo Barthelemy was born in Smyrna in 1869 and embarked on a cosmopolitan career that took him to Italy and Europe. He was a virtuoso pianist and versatile composer, known above all for his collaboration with the famous tenor Enrico Caruso, of whom he was a pianist and trusted friend.
Aneddoto
A musical Olympian
In 1912, Barthelemy won the Olympic gold medal with the piece Olympic Triumphal March, uniting sport and art in an unprecedented success.Works
Besides the Olympic Triumphal March, Barthelemy composed concert lyrics and numerous vocal pieces that he performed with Caruso.
His works, in an elegant and melodic style, circulated in European salons and contributed to the spread of Italian music abroad.
Briciole di storia
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