Background
He was born in Sinalunga near Siena, Italy, the son of Maddalena Formichi and G. Battista Pinsuti, who was the music teacher of the local orchestra. After studying music with a friend of his father, he made his first public appearance on 7 March 1840 at the age of ten in the Civic Theatre of Perugia playing the violin in the orchestra.
Education
Educated in music for a career as a pianist, he studied composition under Rossini.
Career
From 1848 he made his home in England, where he became a teacher of singing, and in 1856 he was made a professor at the Academy of Music in London. He also composed three operas, which were produced in Italy, but which are rarely performed today. He is most remembered for his popular parlour songs such as "I Fear no Foe" and the "Bedouin love song".
After the season, his father took him to Rome, where he played for several important Roman families, and gaining access to the Accademia di Santa Cecilia.
British Member of Parliament Henry Drummond saw Ciro performing and proposed to his father that he would pay for Ciro"s tuition at the conservatory of Naples, provided that Ciro came to London to perform. Pinsuti remained in London for five years, after which he chose to study with Gioachino Rossini in Bologna.
Rossini, who befriended Pinsuti, advised him to return to London after finishing his studies, as Britain represented the best prospects for his future career. Having returned to London, Pinsuti gave music lessons during the day, while performing his own compositions at evening soirees.
The Royal Academy of Music in London appointed him as a singing teacher.
In 1876, he was given an official position on the Sinalunga city council, a position he held until his death, even though his commitment was necessarily subject to his many other activities. In 1885 his opera Margherita was staged in Venice and then in Sinalunga. Ciro Pinsuti died in Florence on March 10, 1888.
His life was celebrated at his official funeral on April 10, 1888 in Saint Martin"s, Sinalunga.
Views
Quotations:
"I fear no foe".
Membership
He was also given posts in Italy, becoming an honorary member of the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome.