Pugnani, Gaetano (1731–1798)

Italian violinist and composer. He worked for most of his life at the Turin court, and became leader of the orchestra in 1770. He also travelled widely, visiting Paris in 1754 and London 1767–70, where his first opera, Nanetta e Lubino, was produced in 1769.

He was a pupil of Giovanni Battista Somis and possibly, later, of Giuseppe Tartini. His pupils included Giovanni Battista Viotti, Antonio Bruni, and Giovanni Battista Polledro (1781–1853).

Works Opera Nanetta e Lubino (1769), Issea (1771), Tamas Kouli-Kan nell' India (1772), Aurora, Adone e Venere (1784), Achille in Scior, Demofoonte (1787), Demetrio a Rodi (1789), and others.

Choral oratorio La Betulia liberata.

Orchestral and other orchestral suite on Goethe's Werther; concertos, sonatas, and other pieces for violin; other instrumental music.