Manfredini, Vincenzo (1737–1799)

Italian theorist and composer, son of Francesco Manfredini. After study with his father he went to Moscow in 1758. He became maestro di cappella at the court of St Petersburg's Italian opera company in 1762; until he was superseded by Galuppi he wrote operas for Catherine II. After his return to Italy in 1769 he became a teacher and writer on music, notably Regole armoniche, o sieno Precetti ragionati (1775). His compositions include settings of Metastasio's Semiramide (1760), Olimpiade (1762), and Artaserse (1772), as well as six symphonies and six string quartets.