Carlo Diacono

{{Short description|Maltese composer}}

Carlo Diacono (1 April 1876 – 15 June 1942) was a Maltese composer and church musician. The son of a musician, he was born in Żejtun, south east Malta and from 1892 to 1902 studied composition with Paolino Vassallo, choosing to stay in Malta rather than study abroad.[https://doi-org.lonlib.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.45343 Joseph Vella Bondin. 'Diacono, Carlo'], in Grove Music Online (2001) He was appointed maestro di cappella at Mdina Cathedral and (in 1923) at St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta, both positions following Vassallo. A breakthrough work was the opera L’Alpino of 1918, premiered at Valletta’s Royal Opera House.[https://www.naxos.com/MainSite/BlurbsReviews/?itemcode=GP949&catnum=GP949&filetype=AboutThisRecording&language=English Ateş Orga. Notes to Melita: Maltese Piano Music], Grand Piano CD GP949 (2025) It was revived in a concert performance at the Manoel Theatre in January 2025.'[https://timesofmalta.com/article/carlo-diacono-opera-l-alpino-manoel-theatre-month.1103812 Carlo Diacono’s opera ‘l’Alpino’ at the Manoel Theatre this month]', Times of Malta, 19 January, 2025

Diacono composed much church and choral music - such as the oratorio St Paul (1913), Messa de Requiem (1914), Il Cantico di Frate Sole (1927), Laudate Pueri (1937) and the Messa di Gloria in E flat (1938) - but there are also some orchestral and chamber music works. His Chopinesque Fantasie-Impromptu (1928) for solo piano has been recorded by Charlene Farrugia.[https://musicwebinternational.com/2025/04/melita-maltese-piano-music-grand-piano/ MusicWeb International, 1 April, 2025]

Diacono died at Lija in June 1942, aged 66. He was married to Maria Cannataci. His son Frankie Diacono (1914–1999) succeeded him as a composer and church musician.