Composer

The second son of the well-known composer Pietro Paolo* and Antonia née Pulis, Vincenzo was born in Valletta. He began his studies with his father and in 1828, after the death of his father, Vincenzo was offered the post of maestro di cappella  to the Cathedral. He accepted this post, but in February 1829 he left Malta for Naples to further his studies in music at the Conservatorio San Pietro a Majella.  He remained in Naples for two and a half years, and among his colleagues were Lebrun, Mercadante and Bellini.

One of his tutors was Zingarelli. According to Robbie Mifsud Bonnici, in 1830, King Vittorio Emanuele asked Zingarelli to choose two of his best students and instruct them to compose a theatrical work each. Zingarelli presented to the King Vincenzo Bugeja and Vincenzo Bellini. In fact Bugeja wrote an opera - Lodoiska - which was based on the libretto by Malagricci and was composed in 1831. This opera was presented for the first time at the Teatro Reale a few months after Vincenzo’s return to Malta. The opera was a great success and excellent reviews were reported in the newspapers of that epoch, amongst them the Malta Government Gazette. Bugeja wrote two other theatrical works: Il Torneo, which was never finished, and Marco Botsaris,  an opera mentioned by several publications.

On the death of his father Vincenzo Bugeja took over the post of maestro di cappella at the Cathedral, the Porto Salvo church of Valletta, the Immaculate Conception church of Cospicua, and Stella Maris church in Sliema, amongst others.

In the late 1840’s, Vincenzo Bugeja continued to write music, concentrating on sacred compositions. He composed several beautiful works such as: Laudate Pueri Dominum, and the antiphone: Ingresso Zaccariae  for the feast of St John. He was very popular at the Parish Church of Floriana where his antiphone to St Publius ‘O Melitae Digna Prolis’ is still played.

Other compositions include solemn masses, funeral masses, responsories, motets, tantum ergo and six symphonies.

He married Antonia Naudi in 1842, and they had five children, the second son Riccardo, was destined to carry on the family musical tradition.

Vincenzo Bugeja passed away at the age of 54. A week later a funeral mass was celebrated at the Porto Salvo Church in Valletta. Some musicians, directed by Mro Spiteri performed his Dies Irae, which is one of his best pieces of sacred music.

This biography is part of the collection created by Michael Schiavone over a 30-year period. Read more about Schiavone and his initiative here.