Hasse

Hasse, JOHANN ADOLF, composer, was born at Bergedorf, near Hamburg, 25th March 1699, and studied in Italy under Porpora and Scarlatti. He became famous as Il Sassone ('the Saxon') through his opera Sesostrate, produced at Naples (1725); was kapell-meister at Dresden; and was brought to London in 1733 to head an opposition to Handel as representing the Italian school. Here Artaserse was produced with success; but Hasse soon left London, and in 1740 was in Dresden, subsequently retiring to Vienna and to Venice, where he died 23d December 1783.