SEARCH RESULTS FOR: Donizetti
1 of 5 Pages     Next ›

of Donizetti’s failing health, but as time proved, Don Pasquale was among the last of his remarkable total of 67 operas. The first performance was a tremendous success. Donizetti was there and, to judge from a letter he afterwards wrote to his music publisher, Giovanni Ricordi (1785–1853), he was lionized by the audience: ‘I was called out ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie

of a tear in her eye, showing she loves him, and believes the potion has worked; in fact Adina was jealous of the other girls. Personalities | Gaetano Donizetti | Early Romantic | Opera ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie

wedding guests are shocked, but are moved as Marie tells them of the regiment’s kindness towards her. The marquise relents and allows her to marry Tonio. Personalities | Gaetano Donizetti | Early Romantic | Opera Houses & Companies | Opéra-Comique | Early Romantic | Opera Houses & Companies | La Scala, Milan | High Romantic | Opera ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie

While writing Lucia di Lammermoor, Donizetti observed a common custom of the 1830s; tailoring his music to the voices of the original cast. For example, Fanny Tacchinardi-Persiani (1812–67), who created the role of Lucia, was technically brilliant and Donizetti’s writing reflected her outstanding abilities. Matching music to performers was a shrewd move: the formula increased the popularity of ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie

(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 ...

Source: Classical Music Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie

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 ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie

where playing more than two notes at once was almost impossible. The glass armonica, or musical glasses, enjoyed a brief vogue in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Gaetano Donizetti (1797–1848) used it in the mad scene in Lucia di Lammermoor (1835) and Saint-Saëns used it to represent the underwater world in Carnival of the Animals (1886). It became a ...

Source: The Illustrated Complete Musical Instruments Handbook, general editor Lucien Jenkins

The saxophone occupies an unusual position in that it is a bespoke instrument that has barely changed since its creation. Although it does not occupy the position in the orchestra its creator had envisaged, Adolphe Sax’s invention has played a central part in music ever since it burst on to the scene in the 1840s. Sax’s father, Charles, ...

Source: The Illustrated Complete Musical Instruments Handbook, general editor Lucien Jenkins

unclear which instrument a composer wanted to hear, but there is evidence to suggest that the serpent was often used in Italy by the bel canto school of Gaetano Donizetti (1797–1848) and Saverio Mercadante (1795–1870). Richard Wagner (1813–83) was similarly vague about his intentions; in his case it normally assumed that ‘serpent’ actually signifies a cimbasso or other bass instrument. ...

Source: The Illustrated Complete Musical Instruments Handbook, general editor Lucien Jenkins

‘The Sicilian Vespers’ Verdi inherited the libretto for Les vêpres siciliennes (‘The Sicilian Vespers’) from Le duc d’Albe (‘The Duke of Alba’), an opera left unfinished when its composer, Donizetti, died. Verdi made it a five-act work and it had its first performance at the Paris Opéra, for which it was commissioned, on 13 June 1855. It ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie

Wagner’s music drama Tristan und Isolde, written between 1856 and 1859 and first produced at the Hof- und Nationaltheater in Munich on 10 June 1865, broke the established mould of opera and took it to the threshold of ‘modern’ music. Tristan was based on an Arthurian legend, and featured a regular theme in Wagner’s operas – the plight ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie

bel canto 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 ...

Source: Classical Music Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie

1922–92 Welsh baritone Evans joined the Covent Garden company in 1948, singing Mozart’s Figaro in his second season. He sang at Glyndebourne 1950–61, and made his debut at La Scala in 1960. Appearances in America included Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger (Chicago, 1959) and Verdi’s Falstaff (Metropolitan Opera, 1964). Renowned for many years in Mozart roles, in ...

Source: Classical Music Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie

1843–1919, Italian The Italian soprano Adelina Patti was among the greatest of all prima donnas. As such, she enjoyed special privileges. One was exemption from rehearsals. Another was top pay for her time, amounting to $5,000 (£2,725) a performance after 1882. Patti made her singing debut at age seven, and first appeared on stage at ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie

(La bohème) at the Romanian National Opera in 1990, reprising the role at Covent Garden in 1991 and the Metropolitan Opera (her house debut) in 1993. In addition to Donizetti, Verdi and Puccini, she has had notable success in French-language opera, appearing in (and recording) both Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette and Massenet’s Manon with the tenor Roberto ...

Source: Classical Music Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie
1 of 5 Pages     Next ›

AUTHORITATIVE

An extensive music information resource, bringing together the talents and expertise of a wide range of editors and musicologists, including Stanley Sadie, Charles Wilson, Paul Du Noyer, Tony Byworth, Bob Allen, Howard Mandel, Cliff Douse, William Schafer, John Wilson...

CURATED

Classical, Rock, Blues, Jazz, Country and more. Flame Tree has been making encyclopaedias and guides about music for over 20 years. Now Flame Tree Pro brings together a huge canon of carefully curated information on genres, styles, artists and instruments. It's a perfect tool for study, and entertaining too, a great companion to our music books.

Rock, A Life Story

Rock, A Life Story

The ultimate story of a life of rock music, from the 1950s to the present day.

David Bowie

David Bowie

Fantastic new, unofficial biography covers his life, music, art and movies, with a sweep of incredible photographs.