Editing Johann Adolph Hasse (section)

==Early career==
Hasse was baptised in [[Bergedorf]] near Hamburg where his family had been church organists for three generations. His career began in singing when he joined the Hamburg [[Oper am Gänsemarkt]] in 1718 as a tenor. In 1719 he obtained a singing post at the court of [[Braunschweig|Brunswick]], where in 1721 his first opera, ''Antioco'', was performed; Hasse himself sang in the production.

[[File:Hh-bgd-hasse.jpg|thumb|Memorial to Hasse in front of his birth house in Hamburg-Bergedorf]]

He is thought to have left Germany during 1722. During the 1720s he lived mostly in [[Naples]], dwelling there for six or seven years. In 1725 his [[serenata]] ''Antonio e Cleopatra'', was performed at Naples; the principal roles were sung by Carlo Broschi, better known as [[Farinelli]], and [[Vittoria Tesi]]. The success of this work not only earned Hasse many commissions from Naples's opera houses, but also, according to [[Johann Joachim Quantz]], brought him into contact with [[Alessandro Scarlatti]], who became his teacher and friend; Hasse also altered his style in several respects to reflect that of Scarlatti.

Hasse's popularity in Naples increased dramatically and for several years his workload kept him extremely busy. In this period he composed his only full ''[[opera buffa]]'', ''La sorella amante'', in addition to several ''[[intermezzi]]'' and serenatas. He visited the [[Venetian Carnival]] of 1730, where his opera ''[[Artaserse (Hasse)|Artaserse]]'' was performed at [[S Giovanni Grisostomo]]. Metastasio's libretto was heavily reworked for the occasion, and Farinelli took a leading role. Two of his arias from this opera he later performed every night for a decade for [[Philip V of Spain]].<ref>Reference for this section: {{harvnb|Hansell|2001|loc=§1 "Early years: Germany, Naples and Venice"}}</ref>