Leigh Hunt, “State of the Civilized World at the Close of the Year 1812”

Hunt alludes somewhat satirically to Gianni’s reputation as an improvisatore.

Performer Name:
Gianni
Performance Venue:
 
Performance Date:
 
Author:
Hunt, Leigh
Date Written:
1813
Language:
English
Publication Title:
The Examiner
Article Title:
State of the Civilized World at the Close of the Year 1812
Page Numbers:
6:36
Additional Info:
 
Publisher:
John Hunt
Place of Publication:
London
Date Published:
1813

Text:

With the exception of Canova, the Italian sculptor, who is said to be an artist of great genius, we have heard of nothing else in the line of Bonaparte's inspiration, but the extravagant hymns of some Jews, who plainly call him their Messiah, and the extemporaneous effusions of one Gianni (Johnny) who has a pension, we believe, at Paris, and is represented as a wonderful improvvisatore. We should like to see his Delphic verses committed to paper, upon which these improvvisatori have a wonderful knack of falling off.

Notes:

 

Collected by:
AE