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
12/2/1825Premiere 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'. 
30/5/1826Premiere 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. 
27/10/1827Premiere 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]
7/4/1828Premiere 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. 
14/2/1829Premiere 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]
11/3/1830Premiere 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]
26/12/1830Bellini'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. 
6/3/1831Premiere 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]
26/12/1831Premiere 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]
16/3/1833Premiere of Bellini's "Beatrice di Tenda" at La Fenice in Venice. The libretto was by Felice Romani. [Romani, Felice]

Images

The empty tomb of Vincenzo Bellini at Père Lachaise, Paris. In 1876 his remains were moved to Catania, where he was born.
Picture by Androom (19 Nov 2006)

 

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


Bellmer, Hans

Published: 09 Apr 2007
Last update: 28 Apr 2024