A melody from the 1786 opera Una cosa rara served as a notable musical quotation within the banquet scene of Mozart's Don Giovanni. Vicente Martín y Soler, a Spanish composer active across major European capitals, produced a vast body of work that bridged the transition from the baroque era to the late 18th-century classical style.
Early Career and Training
Born in Valencia in 1754, the composer began his musical life as a cathedral chorister under the influence of his father, Francisco Xavier Martín, who was a tenor. By 1775, he had relocated to Madrid, eventually moving to Italy to study with Giovanni Battista Martini. His debut opera, Il tutore burlato, premiered that same year at the Teatro Real Coliseo in San Lorenzo de El Escorial. By 1778, he had adapted this work into a Spanish zarzuela titled La madrileña, o El tutor burlado.
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Following his initial success, the composer traveled to Naples in 1777 to write for the Teatro di San Carlo. His collaboration with the choreographer Charles le Picq resulted in several ballets d’action, including La Griselda, Il ratto delle Sabine, and La bella Arsene. During this period, he also engaged with court librettist Luigi Serio to create opere serie such as Ifigenia and Ipermestra. By 1780, his prominence was sufficient to secure an appointment as a court composer for Charles IV of Spain.
The Viennese Period
In 1785, he moved to Vienna, initiating a fruitful partnership with librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte. This collaboration produced three comedies: Una cosa rara, Il burbero di buon cuore, and L'arbore di Diana. These works gained substantial popularity, leading to commissions for Joseph II's imperial theater. It is historically noted that he introduced the waltz to the Viennese public through Una cosa rara, a work that became so prominent it captured the attention of contemporary peers, including Mozart.
Russian Court and Final Years
Invited to St. Petersburg in 1788 by Catherine the Great, he served as a composer and singing instructor. He contributed three Russian-language operas, including The Unfortunate Hero Kosmetovich and Fedul and his Children. After a brief sojourn in London for the 1795 season, he returned to Russia to become the maestro di capella at the Smolny Institute. He remained active in the capital, serving as an inspector for the Italian opera until his death in 1806, and was interred at the Smolensky Lutheran Cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1754, Valencia
- Died: 1806, Saint Petersburg
- Occupations: Composer, organist, choreographer
- Burial site: Smolensky Lutheran Cemetery
- Notable collaboration: Lorenzo Da Ponte
- Russian court appointment: 1788
- First opera: Il tutore burlato (1775)
- Citizenship: Spain
Questions readers ask
What is the composer's connection to Mozart?
He was a contemporary of Mozart, and his opera Una cosa rara included a melody that Mozart quoted in the second act of Don Giovanni.
Did the composer write music in languages other than Spanish?
Yes, he composed numerous works in Italian for the Italian stage and three Russian-language operas during his tenure at the Russian court.
Achievements
- Genres: opera
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