Giardini, Felice de (1716–1796)

Italian violinist and composer. He played in the opera orchestras in Rome and Naples, visited Germany in 1748, and then settled in London, England, where he succeeded Michael Festing as leader of the Italian opera orchestra at the King's Theatre in 1752. He played and taught there until 1784, when he retired to Italy, but he reappeared in London in 1790 and died during a tour of Russia.

Giardini was born in Turin. He was a chorister at Milan Cathedral and later a pupil of Giovanni Battista Somis in Turin.

Works Stage operas Enea e Lavinia (1764), Il rè pastore (1765), and others; incidental music for William Mason's Elfrida.

Oratorio Ruth (with Avison).

Orchestral 12 violin concertos.

Chamber 21 string quartets, six string quintets, seven sets of string trios; sonatas for violin and piano; violin duets.