Giuseppe Bonno

He moved back to Vienna in 1736, becoming a court composer there, and working as Kapellmeister to the Prince of Saxe-Hildburghausen in the 1750s and 1760s. He died in Vienna. While Bonno's music is rarely heard today, he was a prominent figure in the Viennese musical life of his time and his works were often performed. He worked with two main librettists: Giovanni Claudio Pasquini and Metastasio. The latter was Bonno's contemporary in Vienna, and the composer wrote the first music for Metastasio's Il natale di Giove (also set by Hasse), Il vero omaggio, Il re pastore (later set by Hasse and Mozart), L'eroe cinese (also set by Hasse), L'isola disabitata (also set by Haydn) and L'Atenaide ovvero Gli affetti più generosi. Most of his output was for vocal forces, including stage works, oratorios, masses and other sacred pieces. He is a silent supporting character in the play Amadeus written by Peter Shaffer. He is played by Patrick Hines in the film version Amadeus.

Training under Francesco Durante, Johann Georg Reinhardt and Leonardo Leo is recorded. Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf is recorded as having studied under Giuseppe Bonno. The recorded working language is Italian and German. The field of work recorded is music. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are opera and religious. Positions recorded include court chapel master.

• Eleazaro (1739) • San Paolo in Athene (1740) • Isacco figura del redentore (1759) – see Isacco figura del redentore for Metastasio's libretto and settings by other composers • Il Giuseppe riconosciuto (1774) – see Giuseppe riconosciuto for Metastasio's libretto and settings by other composers