October 29, 2012. Bellini and more. Vincenzo Bellini was born on November 3, 1801 in Catania, Sicily. It’s said that he was a child prodigy: started studying music at the age of two, playing piano at three, and composed his first pieces at the ago of six. We do know that at the age of 18 he went to Naples to study at the conservatory. He wrote his first opera while still a student there. His second opera, Bianca e Gernando, was staged at Teatro San Carlo, the main opera theater of Naples. It was good enough to lead to a commission from La Scala. Bellini composed Il Pirata, which premiered to great success on October 27, 1827. With his career launched, Bellini moved to Milan. He wrote several operas that were met with muted enthusiasm but then in quick succession wrote La sonnambula, which premiered in 1831, Norma, premiered the same year, and I puritani, first staged in 1835. All three represent the pinnacle of bel canto. The greatest sopranos all prove their mettle singing the role of Norma, one of the most difficult in all of the opera repertoire, and opera lovers will forever continue arguing whose Casta Diva was the finest. Joan Sutherland, Maria Callas, Montserrat Caballé are the top contenders, at least for this site. Here’s a live recording of Casta Diva, made in 1974 with Montserrat Caballé as Norma (courtesy of YouTube). Ms. Caballé in an absolutely top form. Bellini’s life was tragically short. He died just nine months after the premier of I puritani of a disease which back then was diagnosed as “stomach inflammation.” He was just 34 years old.
We don’t have many recordings from the Bellini’s operas for the same reason we’re poor on Verdi or Donizetti. But we do have a fantasy by Franz Liszt calledReminiscences of Norma by Bellini. Liszt’s birthday was last week, and we’re glad to have a chance to acknowledge it. Liszt wrote this paraphrase 10 years after the premier of Norma and used, in a very free form, seven themes from the opera. It’s performed here by the Canadian pianist Janice Fehlauer.
Bellini and more 2012
October 29, 2012. Bellini and more. Vincenzo Bellini was born on November 3, 1801 in Catania, Sicily. It’s said that he was a child prodigy: started studying music at the age of two, playing piano at three, and composed his first pieces at the ago of six.
We don’t have many recordings from the Bellini’s operas for the same reason we’re poor on Verdi or Donizetti. But we do have a fantasy by Franz Liszt called Reminiscences of Norma by Bellini. Liszt’s birthday was last week, and we’re glad to have a chance to acknowledge it. Liszt wrote this paraphrase 10 years after the premier of Norma and used, in a very free form, seven themes from the opera. It’s performed here by the Canadian pianist Janice Fehlauer.