Dionysius Rodotheatos

Dionysius Rodotheatos (Greek: Διονύσιος Ροδοθεάτος, born 1849, in Ithaca, died 1892, in Italy) was a Greek conductor and composer.

Native of Ithaca, Rodotheatos grew up in Corfu , where he received his first lessons in the study of music with Nikolaos Mantzaros 'father' of the Ionian school.

After staying at Corfu for some time – he travelled to Italy in order to continue his studies at the Conservatorio di Musica Giuseppe Verdi of Milan. It seems likely that Alberto Mazzucato, who served as a music director at the Conservatorio, was one of his teachers,who had encouraged him to stage one of his first operas.^[1] According to Motsenigos, Rodotheatos also studied for seven years at the Conservatoriodi Musica San Pietro a Majella in Naples between 1864 and 1871,as did many students including Cavaliere Nikolaos Mantzaros.^[2] In 1875 Rodotheatos went again to Corfu, where he taught counterpoint and harmony, brought out works of almost all genera and in the same year became a Member of the Board and Vice Director of the musical department 'of the Teatro San Giacomo of Corfu'. His works were played in Athens and Italy. Because of "madness", he was placed in a lunatic asylum in Italy, where he died in 1892.

Except for the three symphonic works most of his compositions have been lost. In addition to works for piano and choral music he wrote some Italian language operatic and symphonic music. There are also numerous marches and other works for wind band. He was also the author of the first Greek-speaking harmony work(Pragmatia Theoritiki ke praktiki peri Armonias, Πραγματεία Θεωρητικὴ καὶ πρακτικὴ περὶ ἁρμονίας), which appeared in 1886 in Corfu.^[3]

Works

Oitona, opera in one act by Oithona, one of the 'Songs of Ossian ', 1875/76. Another unknown opera title, the 1881 in Trieste was first performed, is missing.

Atalia, symphonic poem in seven sets

Lo Cid, symphonic poem in six movements

Allegorist idees (Ἀλληγορικές ἰδέες), Rhapsody for Orchestra

Funeral March for the death of Victor Emmanuel II for Wind Band

Ymnos pros tin Patrida (Ὕμνος πρὸς τὴν Πατρίδα, anthem for the fatherland ') for four solo voices, mixed chorus and piano

Dithyramb for three-part male choir

Epiklisis is tin Eleftherian (Ἐπίκλησις εἰς τὴν Ἐλευθερίαν, invocation of freedom ') for male choir and piano

Elvira, Polka Mazur for piano

Ermelinda, Polka Mazur for piano

References

1. ^ dioserbia facts derive primarily from Greek archives and bibliographic sources Christina Vergadou-MavroudakiGREEK COMPOSERS OF THE IONIAN ISLANDS IN ITALIAN MUSICAL LIFE DURING THE 19th CENTURY
2. ^ ITALIAN MUSICIANS IN GREECE DURING THE NINETEENTH CENTURY Ekaterini Romanou Retrieved 12/09/2011
3. ^ wikipedia article retrieved 12/09/2011

• Takis Kalogeropoulos: Rodotheatos Dionysius, in: lexicographic tis Ellinikis mousikis, Athens 1998-99 ( online at wiki.musicportal.gr)
• Christina Vergadou-Mavroudaki: Greek composers of the Ionian Islands in Italian musical life during the 19th century, 2002 ( manuscript online (PDF) , 81 KB)

• (http://www.journaldatabase.org/articles/greek_composers_ionian_islands_italian.html)