Stefano Gobatti (1852-1913)

[alberto]

In the thread dedicated to Giuseppe Sinico a mention, in very negative terms, has appeared about Stefano Gobatti (born 1852) and his opera "I Goti" (1873).
"I Goti" was something of a case. The opera, work of a youth of 21, was hailed as one of the greatest triumphs of the (late) romantic opera in Italy and, in the span of few years, staged in the most important Italian theatres.
Gobatti got the success (albeit not for long) denied to Faccio.
After a handful of other operas of moderate success (but anyway staged) Gobatti gradually fell into oblivion and died forgotten and in misery (1913).
There was a Bongiovanni Cd (maybe still available on line).
Some works of him may be listened to on You Tube: all are transcriptions for a modestly sized (and modest) string orchestra .
Anybody , within the limitations of the transcriptions, the performance and of You Tube, may form her/his own opinion. My humble opinion , within all those limits, is : not bad, maybe worth of an hearing (of excerpts, not of a full opera ) in proper conditions.
Anyway it appears to me excessive to speak of "rubbish".
(BTW someone spoke, even recently, of Gobatti and Faccio as "the Italian Wagnerians"). 

[mikehopf]

Verdi called  I Goti " the most monstrous musical miscarriage ever composed".

From listening to extensive works on youtube, both orchestral and operatic, I find the music not unpleasant, but derivative and uninspiring.

[mikehopf]

BTW, it is known that Gobatti died in a monastery, but not whether he died in misery.

[Mark Thomas]

He probably wasn't too pleased about it, though. 

[adriano]

The poor chap! But I would have killed myself after such a review, rather than taking refuge in a monastery :-)

[eschiss1]

Was it definitely his last work? La Festa della Regina seems to have been published much later, and maybe his Dramma lirico "Luce" also (a little later), but perhaps they were premiered and maybe composed too earlier than his "I Goti"...

I ask because one seems to assume that he was so demoralized by Verdi's horrid horrid review that he packed his bags to join the monks at once...