Pietro Floridia

Who was Pietro Floridia?

Pietro Floridia was an Italian composer of classical music.

According to David Johnson, Floridia was born in Modica, Sicily, and studied in Naples, where he created his first opera, Carlotta Clepier. He later destroyed the score of this work and entered further studies. He wrote a symphony in 1888, taught at the Palermo Conservatory of Music, and wrote operas Maruzza and La Colonia Libera.

Floridia moved to the United States in 1904. From this point he made a living by teaching at the Cincinnati College of Music for some years, and then moved to New York City. During this period Floridia wrote and produced several more operas - Paoletta in Cincinnati, The Scarlet Letter at some time during the 1900s, and his last opera, Malia. He also wrote incidental music, including to Oscar Wilde's A Florentine Tragedy; his music to this got a hearing in New York in 1917.

While in New York City he headed the Italian Symphony Orchestra.