JOMELLI, NicoLo, 1714-74; b. Aversa, near Naples. Initiated in music Muzillo he visited Naples in 1730, where he studied under Prota and and after wards at a conservatory under Feo and Leo. His first compositions were cantatas.. Devoting himself to dramatic music be composed at the age of twenty-three his first: opera, Errore" amoroso, which was received with so much favor that he determined to cultivate theatrical composition. In 1738 he composed his first serious opera, Odoardo. In 1740 he was summoned to Rome, where he was warmly patronized by cardinal York. and composed two operas. The next year he went to Bologna, and composed Ezio. Returning to Rome he produced Didone, one of his best works. Invited to Venice lie produced Merope for the Teatro Fenice, and a Laudate for the church of Santo Marco. While at Naples he brought out his opera Eumene, which was greatly applauded. At Bologna he studied church music under padre Martini. In 1745, visiting Vienna, he became an intimate friend of Metastasio, to whose conversation and criticisms he acknowledged his great indebtedness. He remained
here two years, -giving instruction in music to the empress Maria Theresa. In 1748, again called to Rome,lie composed his opera Artaserse, also hislamous oratorio, La Pas alone, and influence of cardinal Albani he was made the -next year chapel piaster of St. Peter's in the Vatican. In 1754 he resigned that position and became chapel-master and court-composer to the duke of Wiirtemberg at Stiltgart. Here he remained about 18 years, composing a large number of operas, among which was his _Jfissa pro Defunctis, or Requiem, which displayed uncommon genius. In 1772 he returned to Naples, but his style had so much changed through the influence of German music that his operas were not popular. He was attacked with paralysis, but rallied, and composed a ./ifiserere, which is pronounced the finest of his works. His known compositions are forty operas; five cantatas; four oratorios; thirty-four church com positions. Jomelli has been styled the " Glitek of Italy."