Rome -  fl Vienna, 1707–10 - ?

Italian composer.

Nothing is known of her life except that ‘Romana’ appears on the title-pages of her manuscripts, indicating Roman origin.
She wrote four oratorios for solo voices and orchestra, which were performed in the Vienna court chapel between 1707 and 1710.
In style and form they are similar to the oratorios of Alessandro Scarlatti.
A cantata also survives.
Her first known work, Santa Beatrice d’Este, was commissioned by Emperor Joseph I.
She often uses particular instruments for dramatic effect or characterization: trumpets represent the villainous warrior in Santa Beatrice d’Este, the archlute represents the innocence of S Alessio in Sant’Alessio, and chalumeaux, only a year after their first orchestral use in Vienna, represent the peaceful dream of Abramo in Il sacrifizio di Abramo.
According to the title-page of the manuscript, Rossi wrote the text as well as the music for Il figliuol prodigo.

Bibliography

B.G. Jackson: ‘Oratorios by Command of the Emperor: the Music of Camilla de Rossi’,(1986)
Grove Music Online: www.oxfordmusiconline.com

Author

Barbara Garvey Jackson

Works

Orats, for solo voice, orchestra (Arias from Oratorios by Women Composers of the Eighteenth Century, Fayetteville, AR, 1987–95)
Santa Beatrice d’Este (B. Pamphili), 1707, ed. B.G. Jackson (Fayetteville, 1986)
Il sacrifizio di Abramo (F. Dario), 1708, ed. B.G. Jackson (Fayetteville, 1984)
Il figliuol prodigo (C. de Rossi), 1709
Sant’Alessio, 1710
Frà Dori, e Fileno (cant.), Soprano voice, Contralto voice, string orchestra,  ed. B.G. Jackson (Fayetteville, 1984)