Gaetano Donizetti 1797-1848. Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848) Born in Bergamo (North of Italy) Studied at Mayrs school (on full scholarship) Married to Virginia.

Gaetano Donizetti1797-1848

Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848)• Born in Bergamo (North of Italy)

• Studied at Mayr’s school (on full scholarship)

• Married to Virginia Vasselli who died of cholera

• 3 children died in infancy or stillborn

• Contracted syphilis and suffered from insanity

• Wrote 73 operas

• 1830 first international success Anna Bolena

• 1832 breaks contract with Naples

• 1832 romantic comedy Elisir d’amore (MI)

• Early 1835 Paris, then return to Naples for

• 1835 Lucia di Lammermoor (mad scene) great success

• 1843 comic masterpiece Don Pasquale

• deteriorating health and embarrassing moments (cerebro-spinal degeneration of syphilitic origin)

• In sanatorium in Paris for 17 months then

• Return to Bergamo where he dies

1. Il Pigmalione (1816)2. Enrico di Borgogna (1818)3. Una follia (1818) (lost)4. Le nozze in villa (1821)5. Pietro il grande (1819)6. Zoraida di Granata (1822)7. La zingara (1822)8. La lettera anonima (1822)9. Chiara e Serafina, ossia I pirati (1822)10. Alfredo il grande (1823)11. L'ajo nell'imbarazzo (1824)12. Emilia di Liverpool (1824)13. Alahor in Granata (1826)14. Elvida (1826)15. Gabriella di Vergy (1826)16. Olivo e Pasquale (1827)17. Otto mesi in due ore (1827)18. Il borgomastro di Saardam (1827)19. Le convenienze ed inconvenienze teatrali (1827)20. L’esule di Roma (1828)21. Alina, regina di Golconda (1828)22. Gianni di Calais (1828)23. Il paria (1829)24. Il giovedì grasso (1829) (Il nuovo Pourceaugnac)25. Il castello di Kenilworth (1829)26. I pazzi per progetto (1830)27. Il diluvio universale (1830)28. Imelda de' Lambertazzi (1830)29. Anna Bolena (1830)30. Le convenienze ed inconvenienze teatrali (1831)31. Gianni di Parigi (1831)32. Francesca di Foix (1831)33. La romanziera e l'uomo nero (1831) 34. Fausta (1832)

35. Ugo, conte di Parigi (1832)36. L'elisir d'amore (1832)37. Sancia di Castiglia (1832)38. Il furioso all'isola di San Domingo (1833)39. Parisina d'Este (1833)40. Torquato Tasso (1833)41. Lucrezia Borgia (1833)42. Rosmonda d'Inghilterra (1834)43. Gemma di Vergy (1834)44. Marino Faliero (1835)45. Maria Stuarda (1835)46. Lucia di Lammermoor (1835)47. Belisario (1836)48. Il campanello (1836)49. Betly, o La capanna svizzera (1836)50. L'assedio di Calais (1836)51. Roberto Devereux (1837)52. Maria de Rudenz (1838)53. Poliuto (1838)54. Pia de' Tolomei (1838)55. Le duc d'Albe (1839)56. Lucie de Lammermoor (1839)57. L'ange de Nisida (1839; unfinished)58. La fille du régiment (1840)59. Les martyrs (1840)60. La favorite (1840)61. Adelia (1841)62. Rita (1841)63. Maria Padilla (1841)64. Linda di Chamounix (1842)65. Don Pasquale (1843)66. Maria di Rohan (1843)67. Dom Sébastien (1843)68. Caterina Cornaro (1844)

Donizetti’s operas (plus one unperformed and 4 second versions)

Donizetti’s style• Early more “rossinian”• Primitive dramatic power of music• Extrovert, hearty romanticism • Obsessive dotted rhythms, absolute regularity of periodization,

primitive harmony• Catchy rhythms• Miraculous spontaneity of melodies• Sometimes Rossinian, more romantic vitality, later influenced by

Bellini and romanticism• In comedies blend of humor and tenderness• Responsive to individual qualities of singers• Skill at presenting the conventional forms in ways that appear fresh• Moments of real pathos alongside great comic humor.

All Elisir photos from the SFO productions 2000-2001 and 2008

Lucrezia Borgia (1833)

• Melodramma in one prologue and 2 acts

• Libretto by Felice Romani (also Gianni di Parigi; Chiara e Serafina o Il pirata; Alina, regina di Golconda; Rosmonda d’Inghilterra; Anna Bolena; Ugo Conte di Parigi; L’elisir d’amore; Parisina; Adelia o La figlia dell’arciere)

• Premiered La Scala (MI) 26 December 1833

• Based on Victor Hugo’s play also 1833

Lucrezia Borgia (1480-1519)

• Illegitimate daughter of Rodrigo Borgia (Borja, from Valencia), future Pope Alexander VI and his lover Vanozza de’ Cattanei (Mantuan princess of house of Candia, courtesan)

• Her father and brother Cesare Borgia arranged marriages for her: – Giovanni Sforza (Lord of Pesaro)—marriage annulled

for political reason,

– Alfonso of Aragon (Duke of Bisceglie)—killed by order of Lucrezia’s brother Cesare,

– Alfonso I d’Este (Duke of Ferrara)

Lucrezia Borgia (1480-1519)

• Had many extramarital relationships, and perhaps also incestuous ones

• Had either 7 or 8 children• Lots of rumors on extravagant parties,

relationships, poisonings, etc. but mostly due to her family not her

• Knew 5 languages, befriended poets etc., smart politician

• Her role in the family machinations is unclear

Pinturicchio (c.1494), Disputa di Santa Caterina (detail)possible painting of Lucrezia Borgia, Appartamento Borgia, Sala dei Santi, Vatican

Bartolomeo VenetoRitratto di donnaPossibly Lucrezia BorgiaStädelsches Kunstinstitut, Frankfurt

Dosso Dossi(1518 or 1535)

Ritratto di una giovane(Lucrezia Borgia or her daughter-in-law)National Gallery of Victoria

Characters

• Don Alfonso, duca di Ferrara (B)• Donna Lucrezia Borgia (S), wife of Alfonso • Gennaro (T) young nobleman (Lucrezia’s son)• And:

– Maffio Orsini (MS) young nobleman– Jeppo Liverotto (T) young nobleman– Don Apostolo Gazella (B) young nobleman– Ascanio Petrucci (B)– Gubetta (B) Lucrezia’s emissary– Rustighello (T) Duke’s helper– Astolfo (B)

• In Venice and Ferrara, beginning of 16th century

Synopsis: prologue

Venice: a group of young noblemen, including Gennaro, who is about to go to Ferrara as an ambassador, his friend Maffio Orsini and a few others are enjoying the Carnival at Palazzo Grimani. When his friends go off into the ball Gennaro stays back and sleeps. A beautiful woman arrives and while he is attracted by her she treats him with tender concern and affection, especially when he mentions the tribulations of his unknown mother. When the others arrive she wants to flee but is retained and Gennaro is horrified when all inform him that she is the hated Lucrezia Borgia, wife of Duke Alfonso I d’Este of Ferrara.

Act 1

Ferrara: Duke Alfonso suspects his wife to have an affair with Gennaro and wants vengeance. Gennaro (sad thinking about his mother) and his friends are strolling around Ferrara and to prove he hates Lucrezia Gennaro disfigures a Borgia crest-of-arms to read “orgia” (orgy). Alfonso orders Gennaro seized and Lucrezia demands the culprit be punished. When she realizes, horrified, that it’s Gennaro she tries to save him but is forced to pick the method of death. Knowing she has an antidote, she picks poison, and after it is administered and the Duke leaves she gives the potion to Gennaro and tells him to flee Ferrara immediately.

Act 2

Gennaro is convinced by Orsini not to leave for Venice before attending a party. They all drink and Orsini sings a brindisi. When they hear ominous voices singing of death they try to leave but they are locked in. Lucrezia, all in black, appears and tells them they have all been poisoned with the wine, for their insults. When she sees Gennaro she is horrified and swears she did not intend to extend her vengeance to him. She offers him the remaining antidote but he refuses to save only himself. As he is dying she tells him he is a Borgia and she is his mother. She collapses.

Lucrezia Borgia: notable musical moments

• Lucrezia: “Com’è bello” (aria di sortita)

• Lucrezia-Gennaro: duet “Di pescatore ignobile”

• Lucrezia, Duca, Gennaro: terzet finale Act 1 “Trafitto tosto ei sia”

• Orsini: “Il segreto per esser felici” (Brindisi)

• Lucrezia: “M’odi, ah m’odi” (duet with Gennaro)

Venice: Palazzo Grimani

Ferrara: Palazzo d’Este