Antonio Maria Abbatini

Who was Antonio Maria Abbatini?

Antonio Maria Abbatini was an Italian composer, active mainly in Rome.

Abbatini was born in Città di Castello. He served as maestro di cappella at the Basilica of St. John Lateran from 1626 to 1628; at the cathedral in Orvieto in 1633; and at Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome between 1640 to 1646, 1649 to 1657, and 1672 to 1677. He composed a good deal of church music, and published three books of Masses, four of Psalms, various 24-part Antiphons, five books of Motets, and a dramatic cantata, Il Pianto di Rodomonte. He also worked with Athanasius Kircher on the Musurgia Universalis.

In addition, he produced three operas: Dal male il bene, which was one of the earliest comic operas, and historically important as it introduced the final ensemble; Ione; and La comica del cielo, also called La Baltasara.

Antonio Cesti was among his pupils.