born May 9, 1740, Taranto, Kingdom of Naples
died June 5, 1816, Naples
Italian composer.
Trained in Naples, he served the Russian empress Catherine II as chapel master in St. Petersburg (177684), where he wrote many short operas. He had his first operatic success in Vienna in 1784 then returned to Naples to become dramatic composer to Ferdinand IV. In 1802 Paisiello was invited by Napoleon to work in Paris, but after two years he returned to Naples, where, despite changes in regime, he retained his court post until 1815. He composed more than 80 operas, including a very popular Barber of Seville (1782).