Donizetti Society

Newsletters Archives, 2006 -

The Donizetti Society has been established for 30 years and has published something approaching 100 Newsletters in that time. The following is the list of Newsletter content from 2006. Individual articles and back numbers of Newsletters are available.

You can use the "Find" facility, part of "Edit" on your browser, to search for keywords within each of those pages as well as using the Search facility on the Home page.

Newsletters for 2006 (97-99)

Newsletters for 2007 (100- 102)

Newsletters for 2008 (103 -

2006

Newsletter 97, February 2006.

The content of Newsletter 97 includes:-

- Donizetti's star in the ascendent by Alan Jackson

Article on the reactions to the recent performance of Donizetti's Dom Sébastien at Covent Garden.

- The judgement of Paris: Donizetti's Dom Sébastien by Alexander Weatherson

Article reflecting on the ways in which the milieu of the times influenced the opera's composition.

- La rara Juive alla Fenice di Venezia by Giacomo Branca (in Italian).

Article on the recent production of Halévy's La Juive at La Fenice.

- The Perils of the Progress of Time by Douglas M. Bennett

Reflections on the 2005 Wexford Festival with a focus on Donizetti's Maria di Rohan but also some remarks on Fauré's Pénélope.

- The maid of Balfe by Alexander Weatherson

Article on the recording of Balfe's The Maid of Artois recently released by Victorian Opera NorthWest. More information on the recording and more sound extracts can be found at www.victorianoperanorthwest.org .

- The Maid of Artois by John Stewart Allitt

Another article on Balfe's The Maid of Artois recently released by Victorian Opera NorthWest.

- Michael William Balfe - nicht nur The Bohemian Girl Eine Neuaufnahme der Maid of Artois by Geerd Heinsen (in German).

A further article on Balfe's The Maid of Artois recently released by Victorian Opera NorthWest.

- Opera in London during the Nineteenth-Century No.2 by Pip Clayton

A further article in a series on opera in London in the 19th century

- Donizetti's Roberto Devereux in Paris by Alexander Weatherson

Article on a performance at the Theatre des Champs-Elysees on September 22, 2005.

- Pietro Antonio Coppola e Placido Mandanici due musicisti siciliani dell'800 by Giovanni Pasqualino (in Italian)

Remarks on monographs on these two composers. Sig. Pasqualino wrote more extensively on Coppola in Newsletter 91.

Newsletter 98, June 2006.

The content of Newsletter 98 includes:-

- Donizetti and Sax by Russell Burdekin

A note on the use of Sax's instruments in Donizetti's operas.

- Balfe and Malibran by Basil Walsh

A note on a letter that Balfe wrote to Malibran about the opera, The Maid of Artois, that he wanted to write for her. This opera has recently been recorded by Victorian Opera Northwest, see www.victorianoperanorthwest.org for more information on the recording and sound extracts.

- Basta Donizetti = Lucia! by Laura D'Alessandro (in Italian)

Some personal reflections on hearing Donizetti's Roberto Deveraux at Ancona, January 18, 2006. Pictures of the production can be seen here.

- Short note by Dr Emre Araci on two concerts he arranged in Istanbul featuring the music of Gaetano Donizetti, his brother Giuseppe and Angelo Mariani.

- In the wake of L'esule di Roma - Ogni tormento by Alexander Weatherson

An article on the many changes that beset the creation of Donizetti's opera.

- Orazi e Curiazi, an anti-war capolavoro for St. Paul by Dan Foley

Article on a recent production of Mercadante's opera by Minnesota Opera. Pictures and part of the review can be seen here.

- Opera in London during the Nineteenth-Century No.2 by Pip Clayton

A further article in a series on opera in London in the 19th century with a focus on Wallace's Matilda of Hungary.

- Il Conte d'Essex perde la testa, Leonora De Guzman perde ... le ali by Fulvio Stafano Lo Presti (In Italian).

Reviews of Donizetti's Roberto Devereux (Ancona, pictures here) and La favorite (Genoa).

- Questa o quella Stuarda by Fulvio Stafano Lo Presti (In Italian).

Review of Donizetti's Maria Stuarda in Rome (pictures here) and Gent.

- Pavento insano by Douglas M. Bennett.

Remarks on Opera Rara's recent CD (ORR236) of Mercadante and Pacini arias.

- Rhea by Geerd Heinsen (In German).

Remarks on a recording (Lyra 1053) now released on CD of the opera by the Greek composer Spiro Samara (1861-1917), first performed in Italy in 1908. Recording available from http://www.musicora.ch/detail.asp?artid=30752 and http://www.klassikon.com/rhea_samaras.html

- Carmeli Neri, Vincenzo Bellini, Nuovo Epistolario 1819-1835 by Francesco Cento (In Italian).

Review of Neri's book, published by Editoriale Agorà, 2005, ISBN 88-89930-00-4. A further review can be found at http://www.bellininews.it/articoli/Neri.htm .

Newsletter 99, October 2006

The content of Newsletter 99 includes:-

- Don Gregorio (p.4)

Short article on Donizetti's Don Gregorio, scheduled for this year's Wexford Festival

- An angry young man of 1833 by Alexander Weatherson (p.6)

An article on Donizetti's Il furioso all'isola di S.Domingo

- Il furioso all'isola di S.Domingo in Gelsenkirchen by Alan Jackson (p.11)

Review of Donizetti's opera currently being staged at Gelsenkirchen

- Opera in London during the Nineteenth-Century No.4 by Pip Clayton (p.14)

Fourth in a series of articles. This one focusses on the fortunes of Rossini's Matilde Shabran

- Mein Freund ist Moslem by Geerd Heinsen (in German, p.17)

Review of Bellini's Zaira, staged earlier this year at Gelsenkirchen

- La Calabria nel melodramma Italiano by Francesco Cento (in Italian, p.19)

Calabria as presented in Italian opera

- Nobile Teatro di San Giacomo di Corfù: an overview of its significance for the Greek ottocento by Konstantinos Kardamis (p.23)

Article of the role of the San Giacomo theatre in the birth of Greek opera. This is a shortened version of a longer paper which can be found here.

- E siccome gufo presi il mio volo... by Laura D'Alessandro (in Italian, p.29)

Article on a performance of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor at La Scala

- Medea di Pacini by Giovanni Pasqualino (in Italian, p.30)

Review of a recent performance at the Festival Teatro dei due Mari, Taormina (June 16 &17)

- Colombo discovers Europe by Fulvio Stefano Lo Presti (p.34)

Article and comments on Gomes' cantata Colombo performed at the Teatro Massimo Bellini, Catania, May 19&21, 2006

- Dieci Minuti di Applausi e cinque fuori by Chiara Plazzi (in Italian, p.36)

Article and comments on Donizetti's Requiem for Bellini performed at Verona, April 13, 2006). Note that Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie Herford plan 3 performances of the Requiem in north west Germany in November, 2006.

- Mi Chiaman La Gioconda by Jorge Binaghi (in Spanish, p.38)

Comments on the recent staging in Liege

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2007

Newsletter 100, March 2007

The content of Newsletter 100 includes:-

- Not quite as monstrous a régiment as all that by Alexander Weatherson (p.2)

Some musings provoked by Donizetti's La Fille du régiment

- Pour rapprocher de Marie by Alexander Weatherson (p.6)

Short review on Donizetti's La Fille du régiment at Covent Garden. The Newsletter also included some colour photographs of the production.

- A Season of Donizetti by Charles Jernigan (p. 8)

Reviews of Donizetti's Roberto Devereux, Lucia di Lammermoor and Anna Bolena given at the Teatro Donizetti, Bergamo, autumn 2006 Donizetti festival

- Festival Donizetti e... Anna Bolena by Laura D'Alessandro (p.12) (in Italian)

Another view of the Bergamo Donizetti festival

- Odd Pages from a Notebook by John Stewart Allitt (p.16)

Some thoughts on the history of Mayr and Donizetti performances since the Society's formation.

- Antigona at Schloss Rheinsberg by Alex Liddell (p.19)

Article on Myslivecek and his opera Antigona performed at Schloss Rheinsberg

- Catania ricordi il genio di Pietro Platania almeno nel centenatio della morte by Giovanni Pasqualino (p.24) (in Italian)

A short biography of Platania

- Dom Sébastien brought to life by Richard B. Beams (p.27)

Review of a performance of Donizetti's opera at Carnegie Hall, New York, November 7, 2006

- Donizetti and Vienna by Douglas M. Bennett (p.30)

Short essay on the possible reasons behind Donizetti's employment in Vienna and its consequences

- Opera in London during the Nineteenth Century No.5 by Pip Clayton (p. 35)

This fifth article in the series focuses on Donizetti's La Fille du régiment

Newsletter 101, June 2007

The content of Newsletter 101 includes:-

- Imelda de'Lambertazzi by Alan Jackson (p.4)

Review of the Opera Rara concert performance on March 10, 2007.

- Opera in London during the Nineteenth Century No.6 by Pip Clayton (p. 8)

This sixth article in the series focuses on Donizetti's I martiri (Poliuto)

- La place des œuvres de Donizetti dons les théâtres parisiens (1831-1848): Anna Bolena et Lucia di Lammermoor, d'un chef d'œuvre á l'autre by Stella Rollet (in French) (p.10)

- Lorenzino de'... Pacini by Alexander Weatherson (p.18)

The programme notes for a planned performance of Pacini's Lorenzino de'Medici in Faenza that did not materialise.

- Gli Arabi nelle Gallie at New York's Italian Opera House by Dan Foley (p.25)

The triumph of Pacini's Gli Arabi nelle Gallie in New York in 1834. Dan Foley was the organiser of a recent concert of Pacini and Mercadante's work in New York, see here.

- Il lugubre ritorno del Crociato by Giacomo Branca (in Italian) (p.36)

Review of the recent performance of Meyerbeer's Il Crociato in Egitto in Venice.

- Dom Sébastien by Geerd Heinsen (in German) (p.40)

Review of the recent Opera Rara recording.

Newsletter 102, October 2007

The content of Newsletter 102 includes:-

- Donizetti's "Pazzi" revived at Barga by Charles Jernigan (p.3)

Review of I pazzi per progetto at the 2007 Barga Festival.

- Cristina, Regina di Svezia by Geerd Heinsen (in German) (p.5)

An article on the composer Jacopo Foroni and the recent revival of his opera Cristina, Regina di Svezia at the 2007 Vadstena Festival, Sweden. Includes a synopsis of the plot.

- The "hache sanglante" of the Duke of Alba by Alexander Weatherson (p.12)

An article on the tortuous history of Donizetti's Le Duc d'Albe/ Il duca d'Alba revived this year as part of the Montpelier Festival. Includes a synopsis and listing of the opera numbers.

- Il sospirato ritorno doi Attila by Giacomo Branca (in Italian) (p.25)

A background to and review of a recent performance of Verdi's Attila at Piacenza.

- Odessa, and its opera house - a short history by Pip Clayton (p.28)

An article based on the author's recent trip to the city.

- Ma d'una regina la barbara morte by Laura D'Alessandro (in Italian) (p.30)

An article on the recent production of Donizetti's Maria Stuarda at Macerata.

- Schwacher Jahrgang by Geerd Heinsen (in German) (p.32)

A review of the 2007 Rossini Festival at Pesaro.

- Lucia al fresco by Douglas M. Bennett (p.36)

A short article on a concert of excerpts from Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor performed at Baldoon Castle, the site of the original story that inspired Sir Walter Scott's novel.

- ...Chi un giorno ottiene Adina, fin la vita puo' lasciar! by Laura D'Alessandro (in Italian) (p.37)

An article inspired by the recent performances of Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore in Turin and Rome.

- Cecilian harmonies by Alexander Weatherson (p.40)

Remarks on the recording and forthcoming tour by Cecilia Bartoli dedicated to arias associated with Maria Malibran.

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2008

Newsletter 103, February 2008

The content of Newsletter 103 includes:-

- I due Gregorio by Alexander Weatherson (p.2)

Article on Donizetti's Don Gregorio

- Don Gregorio by Laura D'Alessandro (in Italian) (p.4)

Review and comments on the recent production at the 2007 Donizetti Festival in Bergamo.

- Insertion Arias for L'elisir d'amore by Alan Jackson (p.7)

Article on the arias that Donizetti inserted for Persiani and Tamburini for the 1839 Paris performance of the opera together with remarks on the insertion aria sung (and composed?) by Maria Malibran and sung on a recent CD by Cecilia Bartoli, as well as comments on the rest of the CD.

- A (false?) note upon L'elisir d'amore by Alexander Weatherson (p.12)

A short article on some later Donizetti thoughts on the opera.

- Paria by Geerd Heinsen (in German) (p.13)

Article on Moniuszko's opera of 1869.

- Pietro Platania by Giovanni Pasqualino (in Italian) (p.18)

Article on the Sicilian composer Pietro Platania, the hundredth anniversary of whose death occurred last year

- Absence becomes Balfe by Alexander Weatherson (p.20)

Review of Basil Walsh's book on Balfe (see www.balfebiography.com ) together with some further comments.

- An Edwardian view of Balfe (p.23)

Article mainly giving the plot of The Bohemian Girl and The Rose of Castile together with some details on their premieres.

- Lucrezia Borgia by Laura D'Alessandro (in Italian) (p.27)

Review and comments on the recent production at the 2007 Donizetti Festival in Bergamo.

- Opera in London during the Nineteenth-Century No. 7 by Pip Clayton.

Article on juvenile theatre and the Toy theatre.