Bellini, Vincenzo |
COMPOSER (ITALY) |
BORN 3 Nov 1801, Catania, Sicilia - DIED 23 Sep 1835, Puteaux (now Paris: La Defense) BIRTH NAME Bellini, Vincenzo Salvatore Carmelo Francesco CAUSE OF DEATH dysentery GRAVE LOCATION Catania, Sicilia: Cathedral |
Vincenzo Bellini received his first musical education from his grandfather Vincenzo Tobia Bellini, who was master of the choir at the cathedral of Catania. Later he studied composition in Naples under Zingarelli. In 1827 his third opera "Il Pirata" was produced at the Scale in Milan. Soon it was produced in London, Paris and New York as well. His fifth opera "La Straniera" (1829) was also internationally successful. In 1832 he returned to Sicilia where he was welcomed enthousiastically. He left for London and in 1833 his opera "Beatrice di Tenda" turned into a failure in Venice. He blaimed the libretto by Felice Romani, but Romani countered that Bellini's love affairs had distracted him from his work. The press wrote huge stories about their fight and they broke off all connections. In 1833 he ended his love affair with Giuditta Turina that had been ongoing since 1828. His tenth and last opera "I Puritani" was first performed at the Italian Theatre in Paris (1835). For a long time he had been suffering from his liver and his intestines and suddenly his condition worsened. He withdrew to his country home in Puteaux (now part of La Défense in Paris), where he died soon afterwards. His death came completely unexpected to the public and there were rumours that he had been poisoned. He was buried at Père Lachaise. In 1876 his remains were transferred to the cathedral of his nativa Catania. Related persons cooperated with Romani, Felice Events |
12/2/1825 | Premiere of Bellini's first opera "Adelson e Salvini" at the Teatro del Conservatorio di San Sebastiano in Naples. The libretto was written by Andrea Leone Tottola. It was based on the novel "Épreuves du Sentiment" by François-Thomas-Marie de Baculard d'Arnaud from 1772. Giacinto Marras sang the part of Nelly 'en travesti'.  |
30/5/1826 | Premiere of Belllini's "Bianca e Fernando" at the Teatro di San Carlo in Venice. The libretto was written by Domenico Gilardoni. It was a success and resulted in a commission to write a new opera for La Scala in Milan. Singers were Henriette Méric-Lalande, Giovanni Battista Rubini and Luigi Lablache.  |
27/10/1827 | Premiere of Bellini's "Il Pirata" at La Scala in Milan. The Italian libretto was written by Felice Romani. Singers were Antonio Tamburini, Henriette Méric-Lalande, Giovanni Rubini and Marietta Sacchi. [Romani, Felice] |
7/4/1828 | Premiere of the revised version of Bellini's "Bianca e Fernand" at the opening of the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa. Adelaide Tosi was Bianca and Giovanni David was Gernando.  |
14/2/1829 | Premiere of Bellini's "La straniera" at La Scala in Milan. The libretto was written by Felice Romani. It was based on the novel "L'Étrangère" by Charles-Victor Prévot, vicomte d'Arlincourt. Performers included Henriette Méric-Lalande, Domenico Reina, Antonio Tamburini and Caroline Unger. [Romani, Felice][Unger, Caroline] |
11/3/1830 | Premiere of Bellini's "I Capuleti e i Montecchi" at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice. The libretto was written by Felice Romani. The part of Giuletta was sung by Rosalbina Caradori-Allan and Giuditta Grisi sang the part of Romeo. The premiere was a success but only eight performances were possible before the season at La Fenice closed in 21 March. [Caradori-Allan, Rosalbina][Romani, Felice] |
26/12/1830 | Bellini's "I Capuleti e i Montecchi" is performed at La Scala in Milan. He had prepared a new version and lowered Giuletta's part, that was sung by Rosalbina Caradori earlier that year, for the mezzo-soprano Amalia Schütz Oldosi.  |
6/3/1831 | Premiere of Bellini's opera "La sonnambula" at the Teatro Carcano in Milan. The libretto was writtn by Felice Romani and Nicola Zamboni Petrini was the conductor. Luciano Mariani was Count Rodolfo and Giuditta Pasta was Amina. Other singers were Giovanni Battista Rubini, Elisa Taccani, Lorenzo Biondi, Antonio Crippa and Felicita Baillou-Hilaret. [Romani, Felice] |
26/12/1831 | Premiere of Bellini's "Norma" at La Scala in Milan. Alessandro Rolla was the conductor. The performers included Giuditta Pasta, Giulia Grisi, Domenico Donzelli, Vincenzo Negrini, Marietta Sacchi and Lorenzo Lombardi. [Grisi, Giulia] |
16/3/1833 | Premiere of Bellini's "Beatrice di Tenda" at La Fenice in Venice. The libretto was by Felice Romani. [Romani, Felice] |
Images |
Sources Le Clère, Marcel, Cimetières & Sepultures de Paris, Hachette, Paris, 1978 Vincenzo Bellini - Wikipedia Adelson e Salvini - Wikipedia Beatrice di Tenda - Wikipedia Bianca e Fernando - Wikipedia I Capuleti e i Montecchi - Wikipedia Il pirata - Wikipedia La sonnambula - Wikipedia La straniera - Wikipedia Norma (opera) - Wikipedia |