Antonio Orefice

Antonio Orefice (floruit 1708–1734) was an Italian opera composer active in Naples. He is best known for his pioneering work in the Neapolitan opera buffa genre. Born around 1685, Orefice began his career in 1708 with the production of his opera seria, Il Maurizio. He went on to compose several operas in this genre, including L'Engelberta, co-composed with Francesco Mancini, La pastorella al soglio, and La Caligula delirante. However, his fame primarily rests with Patrò Calienno de la Costa, the first opera buffa in Neapolitan dialect performed on a public stage. Little is known about Orefice's life, and he remains an enigmatic figure in the world of opera.