Giorza, Paolo

1838-

Composer of ballet and dance music; born at Milan, was the pupil of his father, an organist and singer; and with the exception of an opera, Corrado, console di Milan, that was a failure when produced at Milan in 1860, confined his efforts to the composition of dances, marches, and ballet music of the best Italian type. More than forty ballets have been written by him, some having made a decided success in many large European cities. At the request of Garibaldi, he wrote a martial hymn during the war of 1866. He lived for some time in New York and London, and while in the former city taught at the Metropolitan Conservatory there. W. S. B. Mathews states that he entered the Royal Conservatory of Music at Milan at the age of eleven, graduating at seventeen, and was for eight years assistant musical director of the Royal Theatre at La Scala. His chief ballets are Unfallo; I Biachi ed i Negir; Un aventura di Carnevale a Pangi; Farfalletta; Cleopatra; Fiammella; and many others.