Great
Classical Music
Composers

Gaetano DONIZETTI

29 November 1797 - 8 April 1848 (age 50)

Portrait by Paul Helm
click on image for more info

Donizetti was one of the great masters of bel canto opera together with Rossini and Bellini.

He was prolific in output and dominated the opera scene in Italy betwen the death of Bellini and the rise of Verdi.

Family

Born: Bergamo (Lombardy, Italy)
Father: Andrea - pawnshop caretaker. Poor family with no musical background.
Mother: Domenica Nava - seamstress.
Siblings: 2 brothers and 3 sisters
Partners: Wife: Virginia Vasselli, (died after 3 years of marriage)
Children: Three, none of whom survived.
Death: suffered from cerebro-spinal syphilis
Grave: Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, Bergamo.

Personality:

He had a very sad life. His wife died after only three years of marriage and his three children all died very young in epidemics, tragedies from which they say he never recovered. When he was 48 he suffered a stroke and gradually lost his mind because of syphilis. He ended up in a lunatic asylum but was taken home to die in Bergamo.
He was a kind hard working man who gave support and encouragement to fellow artists and composers.

Amazon store

Donizetti on Amazon

Works

Style: Early Italian romantic. He, together with Rossini and Bellini, were the masters of the Italian opera style known as 'bel canto'.
Quantity: immense.

75 operas
16 symphonies
19 string quartets
193 songs
many other vocal works
and also many instrumental works - concertos, quartets, sonatas and chamber music

Best known works:

Lucia di Lammamoor
L'Elisir d'Amore
La Fille du Regiment
Lucrezia Borgia
Poliuto
Don Pasquale

Influences

- He owed a great deal to his first teacher and mentor Giovanni Simone Mayr, a Bavarian director of Bergamo's maestro di cappella and founder of the 'Charitable Music Lessons' which Donizetti was able to take advantage of.
-Other great infuences were Rossini and Bellini.
Donizetti in turn influenced Verdi and Bizet among others.

Quotes

“My heyday is over, and another must take my place. The world wants something new. Others have ceded their places to us and we must cede ours to still others... I am more than happy to give mine to people of talent like Verdi.”

Pavarotti - Una Furtiva Lagrima -L'Elisir d'Amore

Gaetano's Facebook

Click on the Facebook logo to go to his facebook, become a fan and share your comments and views with others.

Sumi Jo - Lucia di Lammermoor - Mad Scene

Donizetti on eBay

You will find lots of Donizetti related items on eBay, some new, some used, some common, some rare. Always good for a browse - you never know what you may find!