Biography
A librettist, composer, and instrumentalist specializing in the theorbo, Ferrari gained recognition for his exceptional, even virtuosic, command of that instrument. He created “Andromeda,” the first opera staged for paying Italian audiences. Although Modena remained the hub of his work, he also traveled to Parma, Bologna, and Vienna. His output encompassed operas, dramatic pieces, vocal chamber music—including the collection “Musiche varie”—and poetic writings together with correspondence. That collection juxtaposed recitatives against flaccid arias cast in triple time. Ferrari’s innovation of inserting a comic governess into operatic characterizations later inspired a host of comparable figures.