Musicale Fiorentino; Richard Bonynge, conductor; Decca 448 996-2DMO2; Soloists: Joan Sutherland (Amina), Sylvia Stahlman (Lisa), Margreta Elkins (Teresa),Nicola Monti (Elvino), Giovanni Foiani (Alessio), Fernando Corena (Rodolfo) Personalities | Vincenzo Bellini | Early Romantic | Opera ...
there, however. The singer declared that ‘Casta diva’ was ‘ill-adapted to her vocal abilities’ – in other words, the aria was to blame for being ‘impossible’ to sing. Bellini deployed all his diplomatic gifts and told Pasta to practice the aria every morning for a week. Then, if she was still dissatisfied, he would change it. A ...
(Ven-chant’-zo Bel-le’-ne) 1801–35 Italian composer One of the most important opera composers of the nineteenth century, Bellini cultivated a bel canto (literally ‘fine singing’) melodic style that influenced not only other opera composers but also Chopin and Robert Schumann. He studied first with his grandfather, composing youthful sacred works, ariettas and instrumental pieces, and in 1819 moved to ...
1801–35, Italian The musical abilities of Vincenzo Bellini were already well known in his home city of Catania in Sicily before he went to Naples at age 18 to study at the conservatory under Zingarelli. A competent pianist at age five, composer of his sacred music at six, the youthful Bellini’s ariettes and instrumental works were performed in ...
repertory, with debuts in the role at Paris (1960), La Scala (1961) and the Metropolitan Opera (1961). In the 1960s and 70s she performed and recorded many Donizetti and Bellini roles, usually conducted by her husband, Richard Bonynge. Introduction | Contemporary | Classical Personalities | (Dame) Kiri Te Kanawa | Contemporary | Classical ...
b. 1971 Russian-Austrian soprano After studies at the Conservatory in St Petersburg, she made her stage debut in 1994 at the Kirov (now Mariinsky) Opera, of which she remains a company member. Her US debut a year later (San Francisco) was followed by appearances at Covent Garden, Salzburg and the Metropolitan Opera (2002). She excels in both Italian ...
1800–76, Italian Antonio Tamburini, the Italian baritone, was 18 when he made his debut in Cento in Contessa di colle erboso (‘Countess of the Grassy Hill’, 1814) by Pietro Generali. Tamburini went on to appear at La Scala, Milan in 1822 and 1827–30, in Naples in 1824 and 1828–32), the London Haymarket (1832–51) and Covent Garden ...
1820–89, Italian Enrico Tamberlik, the Italian tenor, made his debut in Naples in 1841, as Enrico Danieli, singing Tebaldo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi, Bellini’s Romeo and Juliet opera. Afterwards, while at the Teatro San Carlo, Naples, he took the surname Tamberlik and retained it for engagements in London, St ...
and Verdi, whom he provided with the libretto for Un giorno di regno (‘King for a Day’, 1840). However, the name of Romani is most closely associated with Bellini and Donizetti. Romani supplied Donizetti with the libretti for Anna Bolena and L’elisir d’amore. For Bellini, Romani wrote the text for La sonnambula and Norma. Romani’s collaboration with Bellini ...
(Fri-drikh Fran’-zhek [Fra-da-rek’ Fran-swa’] Sho-pan) 1810–49 Polish composer Chopin was unique among composers of the highest achievement and influence in that he wrote all his works, with the merest handful of exceptions, for the solo piano. Leaving Warsaw, which at the time offered only restricted musical possibilities, and living most of his adult life in Paris, ...
(1839–81) Boris Godunov (1874). Although best known for singing the Russian repertoire, Chaliapin performed in a wide range of operas, including those by Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868) and Vincenzo Bellini (1801–35). He possessed a flexible voice that enabled him to take on baritone roles, such as Eugene Onegin, as well as true bass roles like Philip II in ...
(Ga-a-ta’-no Don-it-set’-te) 1797–1848 Italian composer Between the death of Bellini (1835) and the emergence of Verdi, Donizetti was the dominant figure in Italian opera. He studied with Mayr and Padre Mattei. After composing numerous apprentice operas and various sacred, orchestral and instrumental works, he had his first real success with Zoraida di Granata (‘Zoraida of Granada’, 1822), which gave ...
1797–1848, Italian Gaetano Donizetti, who was born in Bergamo, wrote seven operas, some of them while still a student in Bologna, and several of them unproduced, before he scored his first success with Zoraide di Grenata (‘Zoraide of Granada’, 1822), which was performed in Rome. Zoraide attracted the attention of impresario Domenico Barbaia, who ...
success throughout Europe. It was only in the 1840s that his popularity began to fade, as audiences turned to the less formulaic, more Romantic operas of Donizetti, Bellini and Verdi. The lack of singers able to perform his virtuosic music contributed to this decline. But during the twentieth century the comic operas gained a new popularity, and ...
Battista Rubini was said to ‘enchant’ listeners with his powerful yet sweet and subtle voice. He was also able to move his audiences to tears with his famous musical ‘sob’. Bellini created several roles for Rubini, including Gualtieri in Il pirata, Elvino in La sonnambula and Arturo in I puritani. The qualities of Rubini’s voice greatly influenced Italian Romantic ...
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