Michele di Colobrano

Michele Enrico Carafa di Colobrano was an Italian-French composer and music educator who was born into an old princely family in Naples on November 28, 1787. Gifted from an early age, he composed his first opera, Il Fantasma, at the age of fifteen, and it was performed in 1805 in the private theater of his uncle, Prince Caramanico. His early promise led him to Paris in 1806, where he studied composition with Luigi Cherubini and piano with Friedrich Kalkbrenner.

Despite his musical aspirations, Carafa was compelled by his father to enter the army as a lieutenant in a hussar regiment. Under Marshal Murat, he fought first in Italy and later in Russia, receiving a decoration from Napoleon I. After the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy in the Kingdom of Naples, he was dismissed from the army, his property was confiscated, and he was finally free to resume and complete his musical education. He studied counterpoint with Fedele Fenaroli and began composing operas that were performed in Naples.

In these years he also participated in campaigns in Sicily, became a captain, and was taken prisoner at the Battle of Campo Tenese in 1806 before being released. His early operatic efforts in Naples included Il Vascello d’occidente (1814) and Gabriella di Vergy (1816), the latter achieving popularity comparable to Rossini’s Otello. Rossini later invited him to compose an aria for Mosè in Egitto, reflecting the esteem in which he was held. During this period he married Antoinette d’Aubenton and received the Legion of Honor from Napoleon, along with the title of baron.

In 1821 Carafa returned to Paris, where he quickly achieved success with the opera Jeanne d’Arc. This was followed by further acclaim with La belle au bois dormant in 1825 and Masaniello in 1827, the latter achieving exceptional popularity with 136 performances at the Opéra-Comique. His versatility extended to ballet as well; together with A. Gyrowetz, he composed the music for Natalie, or The Swiss Milkmaid, staged in 1832 by the Italian choreographer Filippo Taglioni for his celebrated daughter, the ballerina Maria Taglioni.

During these Paris years he also presented Le valet de chambre (1823) and maintained friendships with many leading composers, including Rossini, whose Semiramide he later adapted for French performance in 1861. His melodic style was noted for its lightness and clarity, contrasting with the dominant operatic voices of Rossini, Bellini, Auber, and Halévy.

Although Carafa enjoyed notable early success, he later struggled to compete with the rising popularity of Rossini and Donizetti. As a result, he turned increasingly toward teaching, an area in which he would make a lasting impact. In 1834 he became a French citizen, was elected to the Académie des beaux-arts in 1837, and in 1838 he was appointed head of the school for military musicians. That same year saw the premiere of his final opera, Teresa.

From 1840 to 1858 Carafa served as professor of composition and counterpoint at the Paris Conservatory, shaping the education of many young musicians, including Achille Peri. He became known for his opposition to the introduction of the saxophone, a controversy that divided supporters into “Carafons” and “Saxons.”

In his later life he adopted his wife’s nephew, Michel Daubenton, and continued contributing to musical life in France, including composing a ballet for Rossini’s Semiramide. Struck by paralysis in 1867, he nevertheless remained a respected figure. Several of his operas were later overshadowed by works on similar subjects, such as Auber’s La muette de Portici and Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor.

Michele Enrico Carafa di Colobrano died in Paris on July 26, 1872, and was buried at Montmartre Cemetery alongside his wife and mother-in-law, leaving behind a body of operatic and pedagogical work that reflected the rich musical currents of his era.

Connections

This figure has 3 connections in the art history graph.