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 The grave of Maria Brizzi Giorgi, Luigi Giorgi and Geltrude Righetti at the Cimitero monumentale della Certosa in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna. Picture by Androom (11 Feb 2026) |
Brizzi Giorgi, Maria |
| COMPOSER, PIANIST, SINGER (ITALY) |
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BORN 7 Aug 1775, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna: Palazzo Albergati, Via Saragozza - DIED 7 Jan 1812, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna BIRTH NAME Brizzo, Maria GRAVE LOCATION Bologna, Emilia-Romagna: Cimitero monumentale della Certosa di Bologna, Via della Certosa 18 (Sala delle Tombe, Monumento ai Martiri dell'Indipendenza, pozzetto n. 295) |
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Maria Brizzi was born into a family of musicians. Her father was a barber but also a horn player. Her two older brothers Ludovico and Antonio were both singers and Antonio even had an international career. She was a child prodigy and performed from the age of nine. When she was twelve years old, she was organist at the convent of San Bartolomeo in Ancona. In 1794 she married Luigi Giori, who was called 'the sugar doctor'. He was a lawyer and a playwright, but also a revolutionary and the public prosecutor for the military tribute that sentenced the priest Pietro Maria Zanarini to death for the felling of two liberty trees that local boys had placed in front of his rectory. They had three children, Teresa, Giorgi and Eugenio. When Napoleon visited Bologna in January 1797, Brizzi Giorgi composed the hymn for the event, and she performed it at the Teatro Marsigli before Napoleon. She stayed in Vienna for eighteen months where she appeared in concerts. In 1805 she reappeared in Bologna. She founded the Accademia Polimniaca, a musical salon. It was active from 1806 to 1809. She supported the career of Rossini, who debuted as a concert pianist at her salon on 23 December 1808. She also supported Isabella Colbran, Rossini's future wife. In 1811 she performed twice with Niccolò Paganini in Bologna. In 1809 the Accademia Polinniaca closed after the Nuova Società del Casino was funded. Luigi Gorgi was a co-founder and Maria became the director of the musical evenings, together with Francesco Sampieri and Teresa Albergati. After a difficult pregnancy she gave birth to her third child, her son Eugenio. She died soon afterwards, Eugenio survived. On 22 January 1812, a memorial service was held for her at the Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Muratelle in Bologna. Further celebrations in her memory took place. Her widower married the singer Getrude Righetti in 1814. Only a few of Maria Brizzi Giorgi's compositions have survived. Related persons • helped Colbran, Isabella • performed with Paganini, Niccolò • helped Rossini, Gioacchino Events |
| 0/1/1797 | Maria Brizzi Giorgi performs at the Teatro Marsigli in Bologna for Napoleon. The performance was organised because of the visit of general Napoleon Bonaparte to Bologna. Napoleon, his wife Joséphine and his sister Pauline attended. [Beauharnais, Joséphine de][Bonaparte, Pauline][Napoleon I Bonaparte] |
| 10/12/1805 | Maria Brizzi Giorgi performs at the Teatro Comunale in Bologna. She performed a hymn that was composed by herself with lyrics by Paola Costa. Eugène de Beauharnais was in the audience. [Beauharnais, Eugène de][Costa, Paolo] |
| 31/7/1806 | Gioachino Rossini performs as a singer at the Accademia Polinniaca in Bologna. The Accademia Polinniaca was Maria Brizzi Giorgi's musical salon. [Rossini, Gioacchino] |
| 11/4/1807 | Italian debut of Isabella Colbran at the Accademia Polinniaca in Bologna. Maria Brizzi Gorgi had organised the concert at her own academy. She had also proposed the admission of Isabella Colbran to the Accademia Filarmonica di Bologna. The proposal was accepted. [Colbran, Isabella] |
| 23/12/1808 | Debut of Rossini at the Accademia Polinniaca in Bologna. It was his official debut as a composer and a performer before a seledct audience. The evening was organised by Maria Brizzi Giorgi. [Rossini, Gioacchino] |
| 18/3/1811 | Maria Brizzi Giorgi and Niccolò Paganini perform together at the Società del Casino in Bologna [Paganini, Niccolò] |
| 14/4/1811 | Maria Brizzi Giorgi and Niccolò Paganini perform together at the Teatro Comunale in Bologna [Paganini, Niccolò] |
| Images |
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The grave of Maria Brizzi Giorgi, Luigi Giorgi and Geltrude Righetti at the Cimitero monumentale della Certosa in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna. Picture by Androom (11 Feb 2026) |
Sources • Maria Brizzi Giorgi - Wikipedia (IT) • Maria Brizzi Giorgi: giovane talentuosa musicista a 250 anni dalla nascita | Portici |
