Catalani was born in Lucca and trained at the Milan Conservatory under Antonio Bazzini.
Despite the growing influence of the verismo style of opera during the 1880s Catalani chose to compose in a more traditional manner. As a result his operas have largely lost their place in the modern repertoire, even compared to those of Massenet and Puccini, whose style his works most closely resemble.
The influence of Amilcare Ponchielli can also be recognized in Catalani’s work. Like Ponchielli, Catalani’s reputation now rests almost entirely on one work. However, while La Wally enjoys occasional revivals, Ponchielli’s La Gioconda has always been the more popular opera of the two (287 performances to date at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, as opposed to only four for La Wally).
In 1893, upon his premature death from tuberculosis in Milan, Catalani was interred in the Cimitero Monumentale, where Ponchielli and conductor Arturo Toscanini also lie. Toscanini was a strong advocate of Catalani’s music and named his daughter Wally in recognition of the composer’s most successful opera. Toscanini recorded the prelude to Act IV of La Wally and the "Dance of the Water Nymphs" from Loreley in Carnegie Hall in August 1952 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra for RCA Victor.
Klavierauszug (it)
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 389141
from the Opera La Wally
for: Soprano and Symphonic Band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1198539
Lyric book
Item no.: 257614
from: La Wally
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 723210
Ebben?...Ne andrò lontano
for: Brass band
Sheet music
Item no.: 1316355
D
for: Piano
Piano Solo
Item no.: 1050298
From ‘La Wally’
for: Stimme (Sopran)
Music score
Item no.: 735909
dall'opera "La Wally"
for: Voice (high), piano
Music score
Item no.: 388452
Oper/Operette
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 134155
Klassik
for: Cello, piano
Book
Item no.: 336702
für Soli und Orchester
Studienpartitur (it)
for: BUEHNENWERKE + SZENISCHE WERKE OPER
Study score
Item no.: 1343768
Oper/Operette
for: Vocal and Piano Reduction
Piano reduction
Item no.: 260615
Melodia Per Piccola Orchestra
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 257986
DIREKTION+STIMMEN
MORTIMER, J.G., BEARB.
for: Concert band
Sheet music
Item no.: 592347
Aria from the opera "La Wally"
for: Voice (soprano), piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1671028
Libretto
for: Libretto
Lyrics
Item no.: 259004
Oper/Operette
for: Libretto
Lyrics
Item no.: 258989
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Lyric book
Item no.: 777972
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 989217