Antonio Coronaro: Vicentine master between sacred and theater

Life

Trained during the final phase of Romanticism, his long career led him to reach full maturity in the early twentieth century, an era of avant-gardes where the aestheticism of Decadentism, the suggestions of Symbolism, and the radical disruption of Futurism coexisted.

Antonio Coronaro was born in Vicenza in 1851 into a family of musicians, which also included brothers Gaetano and Gellio Benvenuto. Introduced to classical studies at the episcopal gymnasium, he simultaneously cultivated musical training by dedicating himself to the piano, violin, organ, and composition. His father's death forced him to leave the lyceum and support his family by giving private music lessons.

In 1871 he debuted as a teacher in his city's music school and saw one of his own compositions performed for the first time: the Messa funebre per l’Ufficio dei defunti. After reaching a certain economic stability, he married, and in 1880 his son Arrigo was born, also destined for music but who died tragically at just twenty-six.

In 1885 he succeeded Maestro Francesco Canneti as organist of the Vicenza Cathedral and shortly after obtained the same position in the church of Santa Corona. There he remained for decades as a reference point for sacred musical life. His production includes seven masses, hymns, motets, litanies, and pieces for solo organ.

He also devoted himself to theater: in 1880 he presented his first opera, Seila, at the Teatro Eretenio in Vicenza, received with enthusiasm. Many years later, in 1901, he achieved good success with Il falco di Calabria, repeated in other Italian cities. He also composed Olinta e Simone and La maliarda ed Edward, operas that remained unpublished. He died in Vicenza on March 24, 1933.

Works

Sacred music: seven masses for choir and organ, hymns, motets, litanies, and pieces for solo organ, performed in the main churches of Vicenza. Theater: Seila (Vicenza, 1880), Il falco di Calabria (1901, various cities), Olinta e Simone, and La maliarda ed Edward (unperformed). His works, although they did not often cross regional borders, were appreciated for their melodic immediacy and solid writing.