Vincenzo Salvatore Carmelo Francesco Bellini
Italian Romantic opera composer. Along with
Gioacchino Rossini and Gaetano Donizetti, Bellini is considered one
of the leaders of the bel canto ("beautiful singing") style of
Italian opera.
Born, November 3, 1801 in Catania, Sicily, Bellini lived with
his grandfather, a church organist. Bellini's musical talent showed
itself early, and a local nobleman sponsored Bellini's attendance at the
Royal Conservatory in Naples. Bellini's best-known teacher was
the composer Zingarelli.
Eventually, Bellini's work drew the attention of the director of La
Scala in Milan, who commissioned Bellini to compose Il Pirata.
Bellini set himself up in Milan as a freelance composer, and with librettist
Felice Romani and the best virtuosi Milan had to offer, he made himself
famous with I Capuleti e i Montecchi, La sonnambula, and
his best-known opera, Norma.
After moving to Paris in 1833, Bellini made many new friends and connections,
especially Rossini.
However, in Paris, Bellini lived a rather dissolute life. Even though I
puritani was another triumph, he fought frequent bouts of dysentery.
He succumbed to dysentery while visiting friends in Puteaux on September
23, 1835, aged 33. Donizetti composed the lament Venne Sull'ali
ai Zeffiri in Bellini's memory. He was buried in Paris, and
his remains were moved back to Catania in 1876.
Today,
Norma is part of any opera company's
standard repertoire.
La sonnambula and
I Puritani are also frequently performed.
http://www.virtualcity.de/lafenice/bellini.htm
http://music.ucdavis.edu/student/mus10/COMPOSR/bellini_profile.html
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