Nicola Porpora

Nicola Antonio Giacinto Porpora was born in Naples on 17 August 1686, entering the Baroque world at its height. He built his reputation not on the stage but in the studio, where his method for training voices became the gold standard across Europe. His pupils Farinelli and Caffarelli became the most famous castrati of their age, commanding fees and adulation no composer could match. He also taught composition: Johann Adolph Hasse and Matteo Capranica studied under him, and a young Joseph Haydn learned at his side. Porpora died in Naples on 3 March 1768, his legacy carried in the throats and sc…