Pietro Floridia
Pietro Floridia (5 May 1860 in Modica – 16 August 1932 in New York City) was an Italian composer of classical music. According to David Johnson (quoting the notes, by Luigi della Croce, to the Bongiovanni recording of Floridia's Symphony and other works), Floridia was born in Modica, Sicily, and studied in Naples, where he created his first opera, Carlotta Clepier. He later destroyed the score of this work and entered further studies. He wrote a symphony (his only one) in 1888, taught at the Palermo Conservatory of Music, and wrote operas Maruzza (produced in Venice in 1894) and La Colonia Libera with libretto by Luigi Illica (produced in Rome in 1899). Floridia moved to the United States in 1904. From this point he made a living by teaching at the Cincinnati College of Music for some years, and then moved to New York City. During this period Floridia wrote and produced several more operas - Paoletta, written for the Cincinnati Industrial Exposition (1910), The Scarlet Letter at some time during the 1900s, and (written but unproduced) his last opera, Malia. He also wrote incidental music, including to Oscar Wilde's A Florentine Tragedy; his music to this got a hearing in New York in 1917. In 1914 while in New York City, he headed the Italian Symphony Orchestra. Floridia died in Harkness Presbyterian Hospital in New York City in 1932. |
Birth and Death Data: Born Modica (Italian comune), Died August 16, 1932 (New York City (most populous city in the United States) )
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1910 - 1940
Roles Represented in DAHR: director, arranger, composer
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor | C-9522 | 12-in. | 10/6/1910 | Vittoria | Herbert Witherspoon | Bass vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Victor | CS-050538 | 12-in. | 5/9/1940 | Lasciatemi morire (Let death now come) (from Arianna) | Fritz Kitzinger ; Ezio Pinza | Bass vocal solo, with piano | translator | |
| Victor | CS-050539 | 12-in. | 5/9/1940 | Che fiero costume (What strange whim pursuing) (Arietta from Eteocle and Pollinice) | Fritz Kitzinger ; Ezio Pinza | Bass vocal solo, with piano | arranger | |
| Victor | CS-050540 | 12-in. | 5/9/1940 | Oblivion soave (Sweet oblivion) (from L'Icoronzaione di Poppea) | Fritz Kitzinger ; Ezio Pinza | Bass vocal solo, with piano | arranger | |
| Victor | CS-050541 | 12-in. | 5/9/1940 | Tu lo sai (Too well you know) (Arietta) | Fritz Kitzinger ; Ezio Pinza | Bass vocal solo, with piano | arranger | |
| Victor | CS-050542 | 12-in. | 5/9/1940 | Caro mio ben (Arietta) (My dear one) | Fritz Kitzinger ; Ezio Pinza | Bass vocal solo, with piano | arranger | |
| Gennett | 7499 | 10-in. | May 1921 | In a monastery garden | Gennett Symphony Orchestra | Orchestra | director | |
| Gennett | 8490 | 10-in. | 8/29/1923 | Valse oriental | Maloof Oriental Orchestra | Instrumental ensemble | director | |
| Gennett | 8491 | 10-in. | 8/29/1923 | Egyptiana | Maloof Oriental Orchestra | Instrumental ensemble | director | |
| Gennett | 8492 | 10-in. | 8/29/1923 | Salome's dance | Maloof Oriental Orchestra | Instrumental ensemble | director | |
| Gennett | 8493 | 10-in. | 8/29/1923 | Echoes of Luxor | Maloof Oriental Orchestra | Instrumental ensemble | director |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Floridia, Pietro," accessed December 27, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108687.
Floridia, Pietro. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 27, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108687.
"Floridia, Pietro." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 27 December 2025.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Floridia, Pietro, 1860-1932 - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no89000735
Wikidata: Pietro Floridia - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q3903877
VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/223589
MusicBrainz: Pietro Floridia - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/6ea6011c-91aa-4964-8e41-23ccbf643f3a
Fast: https://id.worldcat.org/fast/244150 - https://id.worldcat.org/fast/244150
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