Mayr, Johann Simon 06/14/1763 - 12/02/1845

Johannes Simon Mayr (1763-1845) was a celebrated composer of Italian opera in the first decade of the nineteenth century. He played almost every stringed and wind instrument as well as the organ. Piccini convinced him to dedicate himself to Italian opera and move to Italy, where he became famous and admired as Giovanni Simone Mayr. His first opera, "Saffo," an opera seria, was premiered in 1794 in the renowned Teatro La Fenice. In this performance he appeared as a violinist.



He wrote numerous other operas along with compositions in other classical genres. Because of Rossini's waxing popularity, Mayr turned increasingly to the composition of cantatas, until in 1824 blindness forced him to dedicate himself solely to his music school, founded in 1802. A prominent student was Gaetano Donizetti, who remained connected with him for the rest of his life.



The stringing together of short melodic fragments to create drama and his use of the chorus (particularly in Medea) were taken up and developed by the next generation. Mayr prepared the way for Romantic bel canto style.