Lorenzo Fago

Lorenzo Fago (Naples, 1704 – Naples, 1793) was a central figure in Neapolitan musical life in the eighteenth century, although his name has often been overshadowed by that of his father, Nicola Fago, with whom he shared the nickname "Il Tarantino". He learnt music from his father and, from 1731, held the post of maestro di cappella at the chapel of the Tesoro di San Gennaro that his father had vacated.

In 1737 he joined the Conservatorio della Pietà dei Turchini as second master, alongside Leo. Following the latter's death in 1744, he became first master, a position he held until his retirement in January 1793. During this period he supervised several second masters, among them Brunetti, Abos, Cafaro and Nicola Sala, who would eventually succeed him.

His compositions include sacred music and cantatas, but no operas. Nevertheless, his teaching is considered more significant than his compositions in assessing his standing. He also reworked works by his father, particularly with regard to orchestration, and through his performances kept much of that repertoire alive in the second half of the eighteenth century.