Gaspare Spontini

Gaspare Spontini (1774-1851) was an Italian composer whose career connected Italy, Paris and Berlin. His operas La vestale and Fernand Cortez helped establish a monumental form of musical drama, with expansive orchestral writing and a strong theatrical sense. Alongside his stage works, he wrote sacred music and songs. His vocal writing links the traditions of Italian singing with the dramatic ambitions of early nineteenth-century opera.