Fomin Eustigneus Ipatievich

Main article: Music in Russia in the XVIII century

Biography

Evstignei Ipatievich Fomin was born on August 16, 1761 in St. Petersburg, in the family of a soldier of the Gunner of the Tobolsk Infantry Regiment.

Eustigneus showed an undoubted musical gift while still a little boy, and at the age of six he was sent to study at the music class of the Academy of Arts.

After graduating from the Academy with honors, Fomin "for excellent success in music" was awarded a cash prize: "others are not in the sample, instead of a gold medal of fifty rubles," although according to the charter of the Academy there were no such prizes.

In 1782, Fomin was sent to Italy, to Bologna, to continue his musical education. It was impossible to think of a more prestigious business trip: in those days, Italy was revered as the center of musical culture, as the "homeland" of music. Padre Giambattista Martini, perhaps the most famous music theorist and teacher of the 18th century, then lived and worked in Bologna.

When Fomin met him, the Padre was already completely sick and old, he almost did not go. The teacher of Fomin in Italy was the student of Padre Martini Stanislao Mattei.

The details of Fomin's stay in Italy are still unknown, as are his writings created at that time. However, it is indisputable that in Italy Fomin survived his finest hour, his talent was very highly appreciated by colleagues of professional musicians. This was evidenced by the election of Fomin to the prestigious Bologna Philharmonic Academy. Many famous composers could only dream of such an honor. And Evstigney Fomin became an academician on November 22, 1785, and this decision was made by "all gentlemen academicians" by secret ballot. All the balls turned out to be white not a single vote was cast against.

In 1786, Fomin returned to Russia and was initially favorably received at court. He was instructed to compose the music of the opera "Novgorod Bogatyr Boeslavich" on the libretto of the empress. But then the wheel of Fortune turned sharply in the other direction. What exactly happened after Fomin's music was presented to Catherine ІІ, we do not know.