Biography
Antonio de Literes (18 June 1673 Majorca – 18 January 1747 Madrid), also known as Antonio Lliteres Carrio or Antonio Literes Carrión) was a Spanish composer of zarzuelas. As with other national forms of baroque opera, Literes's stage works employ a wide variety of musical forms - arias, ariettas and recitative (accompanied and unaccompanied) as well as dance movements and choruses, though here mingled with spoken verse dialogue. His use of the orchestra follows French and Italian practise in including guitars, lutes and harpsichords amongst the continuo instruments.
From 1693, after the exile of his predecessor Sebastián Durón, Literes became the Master of the Capilla Real of Madrid, playing the bass viol and soon being accounted the greatest Spanish court composer of his time.
His most famous work was Acis y Galatea (1708), to a libretto by José de Canizares, which enjoyed frequent performances in Madrid's Spanish court and public theatres until at least 1774. After 200 years of neglect it was recorded on CD in 2003 by Al Ayre Español, with an enthusiastic critical response. Another of his best zarzuelas is Júpiter y Semele (1718), to a text by the same author. This survived in manuscript form in Évora and has also been successfully recorded by Al Ayre Español. The earlier through-sung, allegorical opera in Italian style Los elementos and the partially extant Júpiter y Danae have also been successfully revived.
