Ru
EnA. Rudaya
Primo uomo in the history of Napoleonic France
Napoleonic France (1799–1815) remains an underexplored cultural phenomenon in musicology. The study of this period is closely associated with the established cliché that the art of primo uomo was incompatible with French culture and that its disappearance was linked to the figure of Emperor Bonaparte. However, biographical evidence of the last primo uomo singers, examined within the historical context of Napoleonic France, challenges this assumption. Drawing on archival materials from Napoleonica and Fondation Napoléon, this study reassesses the role of the primo uomo in the artistic and political landscape of the era. A contextual approach, grounded in recent research on Napoleon’s political strategies, artistic preferences, and cultural policies – including his engagement with the primo uomo tradition – broadens our understanding of this period. The final generation of primo uomo singers, including Gaspare Pacchiarotti, Girolamo Crescentini, and Giovanni Battista Velluti, held significant positions in society and contributed notably to both musical performance and education in the French Republic. Their artistry was highly regarded by Bonaparte, serving as a benchmark of excellence for French singers, as reflected in letters from the Emperor and his close circle. The findings presented in this article demonstrate that the Italian tradition of castrato singing adapted to the shifting cultural realities of Napoleonic France. This adaptation was solidified in the Méthode de chant of the Paris Conservatory (1803/1804), illustrating the enduring influence of primo uomo artistry and its deep connection to the legacy of the French Revolution.
Key words
castrato singers, primo uomo, Napoleon Bonaparte, G. Velluti, G. Crescentini, G. Pacchiarotti, Paris Conservatory.
For citation
Rudaya A. Primo uomo in the history of Napoleonic France. In: South-Russian Musical Anthology. 2025. No. 1. Pp. 115–121.
