Quirino Principe (born 19 November 1935 in Gorizia) is an Italian philosopher of music, Germanist, translator and dramatist.[1] actor.[2]
Teaching activity
Principe holds a degree in Philosophy from the University of Padua.[3]
He taught on the musicology courses of the "G. Verdi" Conservatory of Milan.[1]
Further teaching engagements have included those at the University of Trieste[1] (lecturer in history of modern and contemporary music), at Roma Tre "Ostiense" University (lecturer in philosophy of music)[1][4] and at Verona Accademia per l'Opera Italiana (where he has taught librettology, history of theatre, dramaturgy, and stylistics of poetry since 2007).[4][5][6]
Works
Considered by music critic Paolo Isotta as "the greatest living expert on Mahler",[7] Principe wrote two extensive monographs on Gustav Mahler and Richard Strauss which are regarded as "fundamental" by Enciclopedia Treccani:[1]
- Mahler, Rusconi 1983,[3] 2nd edition Bompiani 2002, 3rd edition Bompiani 2011
- Strauss, Rusconi 1989,[3] 2nd edition Bompiani 2004
Other books he authored in the fields of musicology, literary analysis, and music pedagogy are:
- Vita e morte della scuola, Rusconi 1970[2]
- I potenti della letteratura, Rusconi 1971[8]
- La rivelazione incompiuta, 1974[3]
- Il rombo del motore, Vallecchi 1974[9]
- Manuale di idee per la scuola, Rusconi 1977[2] [Sibari Prize 1978][3]
- La “Sonnambula” di Vincenzo Bellini, Mursia 1991[4]
- I quartetti per archi di Beethoven, Anabasi – Società del Quartetto di Milano 1993[4]
- La musica a Milano nel Novecento, UTET 1996[4]
- Gianandrea Gavazzeni alla Scala, Teatro alla Scala 2001[4]
- Il teatro d’opera tedesco 1830-1918, L’Epos 2004[1]
- Musica, Electa-Mondadori 2010[4]
- Wagner e noi: "Lohengrin" Jaca Book 2012[10][11]
- L’umano atterrito dal soprannaturale: "Tannhäuser" Jaca Book 2013.[12]
Many poems of his have been published in monographic collections, such as
- Il libro dei Cinque Sentieri [Sebeto Prize 1974],[3] Scheiwiller-All’Insegna del Pesce d’Oro, 1973.
- Other poetic cycles have been published in "Poesia e spiritualità" (year II, no. 4, Passagem Sem Guarda Edizioni, Madeira 2010).[13]
In addition there are some theatrical works by Principe, such as:
- Turbativa (1992)[1]
- La saracena (1998)[1]
- ... poudre d'Ophélia (2002)[1]
- text for the Pantomime K446 by W. A. Mozart (2007)[14]
- Speculum mundi (2008).[1]
Various poems of Principe's have been set to music by composers such as Bruno Bettinelli, Sonia Bo, Massimo Di Gesu.[15]
Translations
Principe has translated many works from German (including books by Ernst Jünger[16] and the complete Cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach).[17]
Principe has been an advocate of writer J. R. R. Tolkien: he contributed to Italian knowledge of The Lord of the Rings by editing the Italian translation of the book from its second edition (1970) onwards.[3][18]
He has contributed since 1992 to the Sunday cultural supplement of Il Sole 24 Ore.[6][19]
Honours
In 1996 the President of the Austrian Republic awarded Principe the 1st Class Cross of Honour for Science and Art.[20]
In 2006 he was elected a member of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome.[1][4][21]
In 2009 the President of the Italian Republic bestowed on him the title of Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.[22]
