Vincenzo Bellini: Difference between revisions

{{short description|Italian opera composer (1801–1835)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}

 

 

Bellini was the quintessential composer of the Italian ''[[bel canto]]'' era of the early 19th century, and his work has been summed up by the London critic Tim Ashley as:

In considering which of his operas can be seen to be his greatest successes over the almost two hundred years since his death, ''[[Il pirata]]'' laid much of the groundwork in 1827, achieving very early recognition in comparison to [[Gaetano Donizetti|Donizetti]]'s having written thirty operas before his major 1830 triumph with ''[[Anna Bolena]]''. Both ''[[I Capuleti e i Montecchi]]'' at [[La Fenice]] in 1830 and ''[[La sonnambula]]'' in Milan in 1831 reached new triumphal heights, although initially ''[[Norma (opera)|Norma]]'', given at [[La Scala]] in 1831 did not fare as well until later performances elsewhere. "The genuine triumph"{{sfn|Lippmann|McGuire|1998|pp=389–390}} of ''[[I puritani]]'' in January 1835 in Paris capped a significant career. Certainly, ''Il pirata'', ''Capuleti'', ''La sonnambula'', ''Norma'', and ''I puritani'' are regularly performed today.<ref>[http://operabase.com/oplist.cgi?id=none&lang=en&is=&by=Bellini&loc=&stype=abs&sd=1&sm=1&sy=2012&etype=abs&ed=&em=&ey= List of "671 performances of 146 productions in 95 cities"] on [[Operabase]], from 1 January 2012 into 2015 on operabase.com. Retrieved 24 June 2014</ref>

 

 

==Catania: early life==

Upon his arrival, he met Antonio Villa of La Scala and composer [[Saverio Mercadante]] whose new opera, ''Il Montanaro'' was in rehearsal. The latter introduced him to [[Francesco Pollini|Francesco]] and Marianna Pollini (an older couple, the husband a retired professor of piano, the wife a better-than-amateur musician) who immediately took the young man under their wing.

 

 

While in Milan, "[Bellini] quickly gained an entrée into higher social circles",<ref name=L&M389>{{harvnb|Lippmann|McGuire|1998|p=389}}</ref> although he also stayed for months at a time with friends, the Cantù and the Turina families. It was with Giuditta Turina that he began an affair in 1828 during the premiere performances of ''Bianca e Fernando'' in Genoa.

With rehearsals for ''Pirata'' underway in late December, Bellini was given notice by the La Fenice impresario, Alessandro Lanari, that it was doubtful whether Pacini would be present in time to stage an opera and that a contract was to be prepared with the proviso that it would only become effective on 14 January. Accepting the offer 5 January, Bellini stated that he would set Romani's libretto for ''Giulietta Capellio'', that he required 45 days between receipt of the libretto and the first performance, and that he would accept 325 napoleoni d'oro (about 8,000 lire).<ref>Bellini to Lanari, 5 January 1830, in {{harvnb|Weinstock|1971|p=83}}: Weinstock notes that Romani had used "Capellio" as Juliet's last name in the libretto.</ref>

 

 

At the premiere of ''[[I Capuleti e i Montecchi]]'' on 11 March 1830 success for Bellini returned. Weinstock describes the premiere as "an unclouded and immediate success"<ref name=WEIN85/> but it was only able to be performed eight times before the La Fenice season closed on 21 March.<ref name=WEIN85>{{harvnb|Weinstock|1971|p=85}}</ref> A local newspaper, ''I Teatri'', reported that "all things considered, this opera by Bellini has aroused as much enthusiasm in Venice as ''La straniera'' aroused in Milan from the first evening on".<ref>{{harvnb|Cambi|1943}} in {{harvnb|Weinstock|1971|p=85}}</ref>

Before leaving Venice, Bellini was offered a contract to produce another new opera for La Fenice for the 1830–31 Carnival season, and—upon his return to Milan after a reunion with Turina—he also found an offer from Genoa for a new opera but proposed for the same time period, an offer he was forced to reject.

 

 

===''La sonnambula'': Milan, March 1831===

<blockquote>Pasta and Rubini sang with the most evident enthusiasm to support their favourite conductor [''sic'']; the second act the singers themselves wept and carried the audience along with them.<ref>Glinka, ''Memoires'', in {{harvnb|Weinstock|1971|p=97}}</ref></blockquote>

 

 

During Bellini's lifetime another ''sfogato'', [[Maria Malibran]], was to become a notable exponent of the role.

''[[Beatrice di Tenda]]'', with the leading role requiring a strong female character to be written for Pasta, composer and librettist met to consider a subject. Much of the initial work fell upon Romani, who had to look at a number of possible sources, and he became irritated by the task, finally hoping that a shipment of books from Paris would reveal a suitable one. It appears that by 6 October, a subject had been agreed upon: it would be ''Cristina regina di Svenzia'' from a play by [[Alexandre Dumas]] which had appeared in Paris in 1830. However, by one month later, Bellini was writing to Pasta to state that: "The subject has been changed, and we'll write ''Beatrice di Tenda'' [after the play of the same name by Carlo Tedaldi-Fores.] I had a hard time persuading Romani, but persuade him I did, and with good reasons. Knowing that the subject pleases you, as you told me the evening when you saw the ballet [in September 1832 in Milan when it accompanied a Mercadante opera]&nbsp;... He is a man of good will, and I want him to show it also in wanting to prepare at least the first act for me swiftly."<ref>Bellini to Pasta, 3 November 1832, in {{harvnb|Weinstock|1971|p=125}}</ref>

 

 

When ''Norma'' opened on 26 December, it was a success but only because of Pasta. The Adalgisa of Anna Del Serre and the Pollione of Alberico Curioni were mediocre; Bellini feared for how ''Beatrice'' would turn out. Writing to Santocanale on 12 January, Bellini was in despair, complaining of the short time to write his opera because "Whose fault is that? that of my usual and original poet, the God of Sloth!"<ref>Bellini to Santocanale, 12 January 1833, in {{harvnb|Weinstock|1971|p=128}}</ref> Their relationship quickly began to deteriorate: greetings including ''tu'' (the informal "you") gave way to ''voi'' (the formal "you") and they lived in different parts of Venice. However, by 14 February, Bellini was reporting that he had only "another three pieces of the opera to do" and that "I hope to go onstage here on 6 March if I am able to finish the opera and prepare it."<ref>Bellini to Vincenzo Ferlito, 14 February 1833, in {{harvnb|Weinstock|1971|pp=128–129}}</ref>

==London: April to August 1833==

[[File:Italian Opera House, Haymarket by Thomas Hosmer Shepherd 1827-28.JPG|thumb|King's Theatre, London (aka Italian Opera House) by Thomas Hosmer Shepherd, 1827–28]]

 

With the Pasta and other members of the Italian troupe contracted for London by the impresario of the [[King's Theatre, London|King's Theatre]], Pierre-François Laporte, Bellini and his troupe set off. On the journey it is known that he stopped in Paris and discussed with Dr. [[Louis Véron]], the director of the [[Paris Opéra]], the possibility of writing a French opera, but his intention was to focus on that subject on his return in the coming July.

 

It was clear from Bellini's reaction to Heine's remarks that he did not like Heine. Attempting to reconcile the two men, Madame Joubert, who had attended the summer event, invited both to dinner, along with her friend the Princess Belgiojoso. Bellini failed to appear, instead he sent a note stating that he was too ill. Weinstock reports that the princess sent Doctor Luigi Montallegri to Puteaux. Over a few days, he reported to Carlo Severini of the Théatre-Italien with four notes, the first (on 20 September) stated "no appreciable improvement". On the following day, Montallegri reported a slight improvement, and on 22nd, the doctor stated that he "hopes to declare him out of danger tomorrow". However, the fourth note—on 22 September—is far more pessimistic; it reported that it was the thirteenth day of the illness and that Bellini had "passed a very restless night". And then, during the daytime of the 23rd, Montallegri indicated that there had been what Weinstock describes as "a terrifying convulsion" and that death was close. It appears that Bellini died at around 5&nbsp;pm on 23 September 1835.<ref>Luigi Montallegri's reports to Severini; reports from other sources, including diaries written by Baron Augusto Aymé d'Aquino of the Two Sicilies' Embassy in Paris, in {{harvnb|Weinstock|1971|pp=202–204}}</ref>

Immediately taking charge of arrangements, Rossini began to plan Bellini's funeral and entombment, as well as caring for his estate. He ordered that a post-mortem be performed, following an order which came directly from the King. The distinguished Court-appointed Doctor Dalmas performed the autopsy and reported his findings on the cause of death:

<blockquote>It is evident that Bellini succumbed to an acute inflammation of the colon, compounded by an abscess in the liver. The inflammation of the intestine had produced violent symptoms of dysentery during life.<ref>Dr. Dalmas' post-mortem report, supported by quotations from a report made in 1969 by Doctor Victor de Sabata, in {{harvnb|Weinstock|1971|pp=204–205}}</ref></blockquote>

Rossini then created a committee of Parisian musicians in order to find support for a subscription to build a monument to the dead composer, as well as supporting a funeral mass to be celebrated on 2 October in the chapel of the Hôtel des Invalides.

[[File:Annoncredamirarti.JPG|thumb|upright=1.3|Musical notation, inscribed on Bellini's tomb, from Amina's last aria in ''La sonnambula'': "Ah! non-credea mirarti / Sì presto estinto, o fiore", translated as: "I did not believe you would fade so soon, oh flower"]]

 

Of the many tributes which poured forth following Bellini's death, one stands out. It was written by Felice Romani and published in Turin on 1 October 1835. In it, he stated:

===Giuditta Turina===

[[File:Giuditta Turina-by Luigi Bianchi-c1828.jpg|thumb|Giuditta Turina]]

 

However, in May 1833 while he was in London, a significant change in Bellini's relationship with Giuditta followed from the discovery by her husband of a compromising letter from Bellini.{{sfn|Weinstock|1971|pp=153–154}} The result was that he decided to seek a legal separation and have her removed from his house. For Bellini, it meant the possibility of taking on responsibility for her, and he had no interest in doing that, having cooled in his feelings for her.<ref>Giuditta Turina to Florimo, 4 August 1834, referencing a September 1833 letter to her from Bellini where he stated that his career is "avant tout".</ref> When he wrote to Florimo from Paris the following year, he clearly stated that "I constantly am being threatened from Milan with Giuditta's coming to Paris", at which point he says he'll leave that city if that were to happen. Then he continues: "I no longer want to be put in the position of renewing a relationship that made me suffer great troubles".<ref>Bellini to Florimo, 11 March 1834, in {{harvnb|Weinstock|1971|p=154}}</ref> When Turina announced that she was leaving her husband, Bellini left her, saying "with so many commitments, such a relationship would be fatal to me," expressing his fear of romantic attachments getting in the way of his musical career.<ref name="auto"/> Ultimately, he resisted any long-term emotional commitment, and never married.

* an Organ Sonata in G major

* 40 sacred works, including:

** ''Messa di Gloria'' in A minor for soloists, choir and orchestra (1821)

** Mass in E minor (Naples, c. 1823)

[[Category:Burials at Catania Cathedral]]

[[Category:Burials at Père Lachaise Cemetery]]

[[Category:Italian male classical composers]]

[[Category:Italian opera composers]]

[[Category:Italian Romantic composers]]

[[Category:Kingdom of Sicily people]]