Gaetano Donizetti 1797 – 1848
This composer came from a very poor family and a completely unmusical background. Born and raised in Bergamo, Italy, he was taken from the streets and given a proper musical education by the composer and conductor Johannes Simon Mayr. At the time, Mayr had the position of music director at the Santa Maria Maggiore, Bergamo’s main church. He was a person who had been quite fond of his spirit and recognised his talent straight away. As a young adult, Donizetti travelled to Bologna to study with a priest, Padre Mattei, who had been a renowned counter-point teacher. Yet, Donizetti never took a liking to him and returned to Bergamo in 1817, still harbouring a great deal of affection for his first teacher, Johannes Mayr.
It was during this time that he started composing a great deal of works, at times accomplishing an entire piece in the course of a single day. His string quartets were excellent, but it was his opera works that showed the ability of a true master. A year after his return to Bergamo, he was called in for compulsory military service, which he was able to get out of due to an exemption bought by a wealthy admirer.
In 1822, Donizetti wrote what was to become his first success, Zoraida di Granata. It was a commission from Rome that was passed down to him by his teacher, Johann Mayr. It was on account of this that he received a series of commissions from Naples, including a contract for writing four operas a year. Although the music for these operas was quite well written, due to the fact that the librettos - the playscripts for the opera performances -were badly done, these never resulted in true masterpieces.
It was not until 1830 that Donizetti had written Anne Bolene, the piece that took him to international stardom. This year altogether had been wonderful for Donizetti. The famed composer Rossini had just retired from opera composition thereby making room for Donizetti to dominate the field. Donizetti took on his bel canto style with the usage of coloratura passages.(* bel canto- A melodic style of operatic singing. *coloratura -Singing with elaborate and showy ornamentation.)
Shortly after, Donizetti’s relationship with his Neapolitan patrons became problematic, whereby he eventually broke his contract in 1832. Although a new contract had been drawn up in 1834, the public authorities objected to his next opera, Maria Stuarda, and revised it to the point of ruining the first production. The only positive happening during this time was his composition and the debut of Lucia di Lammermoor in 1835, an opera based on a novel by Sir Walter Scott. It is probably what he was most known for writing, being a prime example of a bel canto opera as well as a masterpiece in itself.
In 1836, both of Donizetti’s parent died. To make matters worse, his wife of 9 years, Virginia, ended up dying of cholera. He had had 3 children by her, none of whom survived. His next work, Poliuto, was then banned for portraying the martyrdom of a saint. It all became to much disappointment, discouragement, and grief for even a great composer. He moved to Paris.
He was greeted with open arms by the Parisians. They immediately put his works into four theatres around the city. This was not taken lightly by a great deal of the French composers of the time. Donizetti retorted to this by composing some of his greatest works of all time, leading up to his final masterpiece, Don Pasquale, which was first produced in Milan in 1843.
Up until this point in his life, Donizetti had reached international fame and recognition, even receiving the position of Kapellmeister(music director) to the Habsburg Court in Vienna. He had written a incredible amount of masterpieces. This was quite a spectacular feat if you consider the fact that he came from an impoverished and unmusical background. He came quite a long way to give us his gift of music.
Unfortunately, he also suffered from a syphilitic illness. In 1843, the symptoms were so bad that he had to stop composing. Only a year later, he was declared insane. Luckily, he had been taken back to his hometown of Bergamo. There, his friends took care of him until his death in 1848.
To watch some of Donizetti’s music performed, click here
