Biography of Gaetano Donizetti

Born on November 29, 1797 in Bergamo, Italy; wife bore him three children, none of whom survived and Died on April 8, 1848 in Bergamo. after the loss of his parents, his wife died of cholera. These personal tragedies, coupled with his disillusionment Italian composer Domenico Gaetano Maria Donizetti was with the operatic world of Naples, prompted Donizetti to born into a large impoverished family in Bergamo, Italy on move to Paris. November 29, 1797. He revealed his musical talent at a young age, and, at the age of nine, gained free admission In rehearsal for his last opera, Dom Sébastien, Donizetti’s to Simon Mayr’s school for choirboys. behaviour became erratic and obsessive. Always high- strung, his extreme behaviour began to worry his friends. Mayr became a major influence in the composer’s life. His nephew Andrea Donizetti was sent from Italy to In 1814 he provided Donizetti with the financial and persuade his uncle to visit a doctor. The visit revealed moral support he needed to move to Bologna to study that the composer was suffering from cerebro-spinal counterpoint*. Three years later, when Donizetti returned degeneration caused by syphilis, a venereal disease. to Bergamo, having decided he would be a composer of Just three days later he was sent to a sanatorium near opera, Mayr secured a contract for him with a company Paris where he stayed for more than a year. Andrea finally in Venice — for which Donizetti wrote four operas. At the received permission to bring his uncle home to Bergamo young age of 20, the composer had already demonstrated in October of 1847, by which time Donizetti was paralyzed his skill for writing complete instrumental and choral pieces and unable to speak in more than monosyllables. He was in single sittings. His working methods remained focused attended by friends and family until his death six months and intense throughout his career. later on April 8, 1848.

In 1835 Rossini invited Donizetti to visit Paris and see Donizetti wrote over 65 operas many of which are still one of his operas. This was Donizetti’s first experience performed on the operatic stage today including: Anna with opera in the grand tradition, and he was impressed Bolena (1830), Lucia di Lammermoor (1835), La fille du with the artistic standards and the lucrative pay enjoyed régiment (1840), and Don Pasquale (1843). by composers in Paris. Although he returned to Naples after this trip, he did not stay long. Though professionally Donizetti’s career was blossoming, over the next eight years, he experienced great loss in his personal life. His

*counterpoint: the texture resulting from simultaneously combining two individual melodic lines

Canadian Opera Company ~ Education and Outreach ~ Maria Stuarda Study Guide 2009/2010 ~ coc.ca ~ 416-306-2392