PAER, FERDINANDO

born June 1, 1771, Parma, duchy of Parma died May 3, 1839, Paris, France Italian composer who, with Domenico Cimarosa and Nicola Antonio Zingarelli, was one of the principal composers of opera buffa of his period. Paer produced his first opera, Orphe et Euridice, in Parma in 1791. From 1797 to 1802 he was in Vienna, where his most successful opera, Camilla, was produced in 1799. He was in Dresden from 1802 to 1806 and then went to Paris (1807), where he became chapelmaster to Napoleon, conducted at the Opra-Comique, and (181227) directed the Italian Opera. His most successful opera of this period was Le Matre de chapelle (1821; The Chapelmaster). In addition to his 43 operas he also composed religious and chamber music and secular cantatas.