Ferran
Paris , 10 August 1839
Composer and guitarist
He studied at the Escolania with A. Viola (1790-1795), and later at the Royal Academy of Mathematics of Barcelona. He studied guitar with Federico Moretti’s method and compositions. In 1798, the opera Il Telemaco nell'Isola di Calipso was premiered at the Teatre de la Sant Creu and later in Venice. Based in Madrid from 1799 onwards, he was under the protection of the Duchess of Alba and was administrator of the Duke of Medinacelli. In 1808 he opposed the French intervention, but in 1810 he was a member of the Napoleonic army. In 1813, he went into exile in Paris, where he was considered a great guitarist by figures such as Méhul and Cherubini. He travelled around Europe as a guitarist and teacher. In London (1815-1823), he premiered ballets such as Cendrillon, which was also performed in the opening ceremony of the Bolshoi Theater (Moscow, 1824). Returned to Paris, he developed a great activity of concerts and pedagogy and was considered the best guitarist of all time. He composed works for guitar (published in 1825) and Méthode pour la guitare (1830).
Biblioteca Nacional de França
British Library
Centre de Documentació de l'Orfeó Català