DOMENICO, a celebrated composer of music, was born at Naples in 1754. He first studied under Aprile, but afterwards in the conservatory of Loretto, under Fenaroli, a pupil of Durante, who communicated to him the principles of that great master. As indications of his extraordinary assiduity here, several stories are told of his ingenious contrivances to study during the night, without awakening his schoolfellows who slept in the same dormitory. Having completed his education, and evinced decided proofs of musical genius, he was invited to Petersburg by Catherine II., which was considered as highly honourable to the young artist, the empress being then ambitious to collect only the rarest talent, and had previously received Trajetta and Paesiello, the two first composers of the age, at her court. Before reaching Russia, Cimarosa brought out several of his operas in the chief cities of Italy, through which he passed, and acquired a renown that paved the way for a most flattering reception in Petersburg. He subsequently visited several of the German courts, but seems to have delighted most in pouring out the creations of his fancy to his own countrymen, who received them with inconceivable enthusiasm.

His operas are very numerous, and the greater part of them excellent. He did ample justice to serious subjects; but the opera buffa was his forte. The Matrimonio Segreto is accounted the chef d'œuvre, not only of Cimarosa, but of the Italian school. It continues to be performed in all the cities of Europe where operas are established, and even to this day charms the Neapolitans, the most insatiable thirsters for musical novelty. His best opera seria, the Orazio e Coriazi, is written with elegance and truth of expression. The oratorio of the Sacrifice of Abraham is no less admirable for its sacred and impressive character.

The style of Cimarosa is characterized by the most striking originality. His melodies are copious and flowing; his harmonies abound with attractive and pleasing modulations. He has completely hit the beau ideal of the comic opera. So intimately are sense and sound in accordance, that the imagination is at once fascinated, amused, and delighted. He is full of vigour, tenderness, and graceful vivacity, always evincing the most correct and refined taste and judgment. He has scattered the flowers of his fancy so lavishly, that one of his finales alone would furnish matter for a whole opera.

Cimarosa contributed in no small degree to preserve, and even add to, the graces of that pure and chaste species of composition which is so peculiar to the Italians, and distinguishes their music from that of every other nation. From the principles of taste on which this style is based, it will probably have a more lasting endurance than the vapid and frittered music of the Rossiniian school, which, dwindling into inordinate insipidity, seems destined to enjoy only an ephemeral popularity. The revival of the sterling compositions of the older masters will be an era in musical history, from which the true lovers of art may expect the best possible results.

Independently of his professional worth, Cimarosa was much esteemed for his private virtues. Although the rivalry of Paesiello and Guglielmi, he was always a favourite with their warmest partizans. He was kindly and sociable in his disposition, and composed his finest subjects in the midst of his friends. It was after spending a fortnight in doing nothing but walking about the environs of Prague, that the air Pria che spunti nel ciel l'Aurora suddenly entered his mind, when he was thinking nothing about it. Like most men of genius, he was remarkably modest, and replied to a painter who flatteringly told him he was superior to Mozart, "I, sir! What would you say to the man who assured you that you were superior to Rafaelle?" A division of opinion existed for a long time as to which was the greater composer, Mozart or Cimarosa. Napoleon asked the musician Gretry, who answered,—"Sire, Cimarosa places the statue on the stage, and the pedestal in the orchestra; whereas Mozart puts the statue in the orchestra, and the pedestal on the stage." The statue being song, and the pedestal accompaniment, explains the allegorical comparison; but if Gretry meant to disparage the vocal melodies of Mozart, he went too far, the world having unqualifiedly assigned to them the palm of unrivalled beauty.

Cimarosa gave offence to the Neapolitan court by his partiality to the French government, and narrowly escaped an ignominious death. He was permitted, however, to die peaceably at Venice in 1801, deplored by all lovers of the musical art, which lost one of its highest ornaments in the full vigour of life and intellect. (Diet Historique des Musiciens; Orloff, Histoire de la Musique en Italie, tome ii.; Lettere di Giuseppe Carpani; Biographie Universelle.)