Leonardo Vinci

Leonardo Vinci (1690-1730), Italian musical composer, was born at Strongoli in Calabria in 1690 and educated at Naples under Gaetano Greco in the Conservatorio dei Poveri di Gesu Cristo. He became known first by his comic operas in I Neapolitan dialect in 1719; he also composed many serious operas. He was received into the Congregation of the Rosary at Formiello in 1728 and died by poisoning in 1730, not 1732, as is generally stated. His comic operas, of which Le Zite 'n Galera (1722) is the best, are full of life and spirit; in his serious operas, of which Didone Abbandonata (Rome, 1728) and Artaserse (Rome, 1730) are the most notable, have an incisive vigour and directness of dramatic expression deservedly praised by Burney. The well-known air "Vo solcando," from Artaserse, is a good example of his style.