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Introduction

Until about 50 years ago, Donizetti’s reputation and place in the international opera repertoire rested largely on three operas: Lucia di Lammermoor, Don Pasquale and L’elisir d’amore. Since then many of his remaining nearly 70 operas have been produced, the exact number being difficult to give because of the reworking of several of them into other operas. Thus, on being banned in Naples, Maria Stuarda had to be rapidly reworked as Buondelmonte, while others received quite substantial revision, such as Lucia di Lammermoor becoming Lucie de Lammermoor for the French stage.

The following lists the librettist, date of composition, opera type and first performance. A more comprehensive list that includes opera synopses, recordings and history can be found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_operas_by_
Gaetano_Donizetti. http://www.magiadellopera.com/donizetti-opere.html includes a short history and synopsis of all Donizetti's operas (in Italian). The Fondazione Donizetti ( http://www.donizetti.org/fd/ ) has a wealth of information on Donizetti including lists of recordings. Youtube.com has many audio and video recordings.

Donizetti also wrote some religious works and orchestral, chamber and piano music. Some details of these can be found on the the Scores page.  Further web sites for Donizetti and for other composers of this era can be found here

 

Donizetti's Operas

1816-1825

Il Pigmalione (1816), one act opera

Librettist: Adapted from A. S. Sografi

First performed: Believed not to have been performed until October 13, 1960 at Teatro Donizetti, Bergamo.

 

L'ira d'Achille (1817), fragments

Librettist: Scenes from a libretto, possibly by Romani, originally done for an opera by Nicolini.

First performed: Possibly at Bologna where he was studying. First modern performance in Bergamo, 1998

 

Enrico di Borgogna (1818), opera semiseria

Librettist: Bartolomeo Merelli

First performed:November 14, 1818 at Teatro San Luca, Venice.

 

Una follia (1818), farsa, score and libretto have been lost.

Librettist: Bartolomeo Merelli

First performed:December 15, 1818 at Teatro San Luca, Venice.

 

Le nozze in villa (1819), opera buffa

Librettist: Bartolomeo Merelli

First performed: According to Weinstock (p.316) and Ashbrook (pp 18-19 & 534) the premiere was during carnivale 1820-21 at the Teatro Vecchio, Mantua. However, the recent critical score claims it was at the Imperial Regio Teatro, Mantua during carnevale 1819 and that a second version was performed at Teatro Dolfin, Treviso in spring 1820. There also appears to have been a further performance of one of the versions at Genoa in 1822.  The first modern revival was at the Donizetti Festival in Bergamo in 2020.

 

Il falegname di Livonia (also known as Pietro, il grande, tsar delle Russie) (1819), opera buffa

Librettist: Gherardo Bevilacqua-Aldobrandini

First performed:December 26, 1819 at the Teatro San Samuele, Venice.

 

Zoraida di Granata(1822), opera seria

Librettist: Bartolomeo Merelli

First performed: January 28, 1822 at the Teatro Argentina, Rome. 

 

La zingara (1822), opera semiseria

Librettist: Andrea Tottola

First performed:May 12, 1822 at the Teatro Nuovo, Naples.

 

La lettera anonima (1822), farsa

Librettist: Giulio Genoino

First performed: June 29, 1822 at the Teatro del Fondo, Naples.

 

Chiara e Serafina (also known as I pirati) (1822), opera semiseria

Librettist: Felice Romani

First performed:October 26, 1822 at La Scala, Milan. 

 

Alfredo il grande (1823), opera seria

Librettist: Andrea Tottola

First performed: July 2, 1823 at the Teatro San Carlo, Naples.

 

Il fortunate inganno (1823), opera buffa

Librettist: Andrea Tottola

First performed: September 3, 1823 at the Teatro Nuovo, Naples.

 

L’ajo nell’imbarazzo (1824), opera buffa (also known as Don Gregorio)

Librettist: Jacopo Ferretti

First performed:February 4, 1824 at the Teatro Valle, Rome. 

 

Emilia di Liverpool (later revised as L’eremitaggio di Liverpool) (1824), opera semiseria

Librettist: not known, later revision by Giuseppe Checcherini

First performed:July 28, 1824 at the Teatro Nuovo, Naples. 

 

Alahor in Granata (1825), opera seria

Librettist: Initials M.A

First performed: January 7, 1826 at the Teatro Carolina, Palermo.

 

1826-1829

Elvida (1826), opera seria

Librettist: Giovanni Schmidt

First performed: July 6, 1826 at the Teatro San Carlo, Naples. 

 

Gabriella di Vergy (1826, revised 1838), opera seria

Librettist: Andrea Tottola

First performed: Original version in November 29, 1869 at the Teatro San Carlo, Naples. Revised version in August 1978 for Opera Rara recording, London 

 

Olivo e Pasquale (1826), opera buffa

Librettist: Jacopo Ferretti

First performed: January 7, 1827 at Teatro Valle, Rome.

 

Otto mesi in due ore (also known as Gli esiliati in Siberia) (1827), opera romantica. This was very heavily revised around 1839-1840 to produce a French version Élisabeth, ou la fille de l'exilé , which is best thought of as a new opera. See here for Will Crutchfield's article on the interrelationships.

Librettist: Domenico Gilardoni

First performed: May 13, 1827 at the Teatro Nuovo, Naples.

 

Il borgomastro di Saardam (1827), opera buffa

Librettist: Domenico Gilardoni

First performed:August 19, 1827 at the Teatro del Fondo, Naples. 

 

Le convenienze ed inconvenienze teatrali (1827, revised in 1831), farsa. Nowadays opera companies, particularly outside Italy, sometimes try to give it a snappier title, one of the most popular being Viva la Mamma.

Librettist: Gaetano Donizetti

First performed: November 21, 1827 at the Teatro Nuovo, Naples. 

 

L’esule di Roma (also known as Il proscritto) (1827), opera seria

Librettist: Domenico Gilardoni

First performed: January 1, 1828 at the Teatro San Carlo, Naples. 

 

Alina, regina di Golconda (1828), opera semiseria

Librettist: Felice Romani

First performed: May 12, 1828 at the Teatro Carlo Fenice, Genoa.

 

Gianni di Calais (1828), opera semiseria

Librettist: Domenico Gilardoni

First performed: August 2, 1828 at the Teatro del Fondo, Naples. 

 

Il giovedi grasso (also known as Il nuovo Pourceaugnac) (1828), farsa

Librettist: Domenico Gilardoni

First performed: February 26, 1829 at the Teatro del Fondo, Naples 

 

Il paria (1828), opera seria

Librettist: Domenico Gilardoni

First performed: January 12, 1829 at the Teatro San Carlo, Naples 

 

Elisabetta al castello di Kenilworth (1829), opera seria

Librettist: Andrea Tottola

First performed:July 6, 1829 at the Teatro San Carlo, Naples 

 

I pazzi per progetto (1829-30), farsa

Librettist: Domenico Gilardoni

First performed:February 6, 1830 at the Teatro San Carlo, Naples 

 

Il diluvio universale (1829-30, revised 1833-4), azione tragica-sacra

Librettist: Domenico Gilardoni

First performed:February 28, 1830 at the Teatro San Carlo, Naples

 

1830-1833

Imelda de’ Lambertazzi (1830), opera seria

Librettist: Andrea Tottola

First performed:September 5, 1830 at the Teatro San Carlo, Naples 

 

Anna Bolena (1830), opera seria

Librettist: Felice Romani

First performed: December 26, Teatro Carcano, Milan

 

Gianni di Parigi (1831), opera buffa

Librettist: Felice Romani

First performed:September 10, 1839 at La Scala, Milan 

 

Francesca di Foix (1831), opera semiseria

Librettist: Domenico Gilardoni

First performed: May 30, 1831 at the Teatro San Carlo, Naples 

 

La romanziera e l’uomo nero (1831), farsa

Librettist: Domenico Gilardoni

First performed: June 18, 1831 at Teatro del Fondo, Naples.

 

Fausta (1831), opera seria

Librettist: Domenico Gilardoni, Gaetano Donizetti

First performed: January 12, 1832 at Teatro San Carlo, Naples 

 

Ugo, conte di Parigi (1831-2), opera seria

Librettist: Felice Romani

First performed: March 13, 1832 at La Scala, Milan. 

 

L’elisir d’amore (1832), opera buffa

Librettist: Felice Romani

First performed: May 12, at the Teatro Canobbiana, Milan.

 

Sancia di Castiglia (1832), opera seria

Librettist: Pietro Salatino

First performed: November 4, 1832 at Teatro San Carlo, Naples.

 

Il furioso all’isola di San Domingo (1832), opera semiseria

Librettist: Jacopo Ferretti

First performed: January 2, 1833 at Teatro Valle, Rome. 

 

Parisina d’Este (1833), opera seria

Librettist: Felice Romani

First performed: March 17, 1833 at Teatro della Pergola, Florence.

 

Torquato Tasso (1833), opera semiseria

Librettist: Jacopo Ferretti

First performed: September 9, 1833 at Teatro Valle, Rome. 

 

Lucrezia Borgia (1833, revised in 1839 and 1840), opera seria

Librettist: Felice Romani

First performed:December 26, 1833 at La Scala, Milan.

 

1834-1838

Rosmonda d’Inghilterra (1834, revised as Eleonora di Gujenna, 1839), opera seria

Librettist: Felice Romani

First performed:February 27, 1834 at Teatro della Pergola, Florence.

 

Maria Stuarda (1834, revised as Buondelmonte in 1834 in response to the censors’ refusal to allow Maria Stuarda), opera seria

Librettist: Giuseppe Bardari

First performed: December 30, 1835 at La Scala, Milan.

 

Gemma di Vergy (1834), opera seria

Librettist: Emanuele Bidèra

First performed: December 26, 1834 at La Scala, Milan. 

 

Marino Faliero (1835), opera seria

Librettist: Emanuele Bidèra

First performed: March 12, 1835, Théatre-Italien, Paris. 

 

Lucia di Lammermoor (1835, revised for Paris as Lucie de Lammermoor in 1839), opera seria

Librettist: Salvatore Cammarano

First performed:September 26, 1835 at the Teatro San Carlo, Naples. 

 

Belisario (1835-6), opera seria

Librettist: Salvatore Cammarano

First performed: February 4, 1836 at the Teatro La Fenice, Venice. g.

 

Il campanello di notte (1836), farsa

Librettist: Gaetano Donizetti

First performed: June 1, 1836 at the Teatro Nuovo, Naples.

 

Betly (also known as La capanna svizzera) (1836), opera buffa

Librettist: Gaetano Donizetti

First performed: August 21, 1836 at the Teatro Nuovo, Naples. 

 

L’assedio di Calais (1836), opera seria

Librettist: Salvatore Cammarano

First performed:November 19, 1836 at the Teatro San Carlo, Naples.

 

Pia de’Tolomei (1836-7), opera seria

Librettist: Salvatore Cammarano

First performed: February 18, 1837 at the Teatro Apollo, Venice.

 

Roberto Devereux (1837), opera seria

Librettist: Salvatore Cammarano

First performed: October 28, 1837 at the Teatro San Carlo, Naples. 

 

Maria de Rudenz (1837), opera seria

Librettist: Salvatore Cammarano

First performed: January 30, 1838 at the Teatro La Fenice, Venice. 

 

Poliuto (1838, revised in 1839 as a grand opéra, Les Martyrs, for Paris after the censors in Naples refused to allow it to be staged), opera seria

Librettist: Salvatore Cammarano

First performed: November 30, 1848 at the Teatro San Carlo, Naples.

 

1839-1843

Le Duc d’Albe (1839, not performed. Completed and revised by others as Il Duc d’Alba), grand opéra. The original French version was completed by Giorgio Battistelli and premiered in Gent by Opera  Vlaanderen in 2012.

Librettists: Eugène Scribe and Charles Duvéyrier

First performed: As Il Duc d’Alba on March 22, 1882 at the Teatro Apollo, Rome

 

La Fille du régiment (1839, later revised as an opera buffa, La figlia di reggimento), opéra comique.

Librettists: Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Jean-Francois-Albert Bayard

First performed: February 11, 1840 at the Opéra Comique, Paris. 

 

L’Ange de Nisida (1839, not performed but some of it reworked as La Favorite), opera semiseria. In 2018 a critical edition of the opera was made by Candida Mantica.

Librettists: Alphonse Royer and Gustave Vae

First performed: July 18, 2018 - first performance of the new critical edition at the Royal Opera House, London. 

 

Élisabeth, ou la fille de l’exilé (?1839/40). Opéra comique.

Élisabeth is a re-working of Otto mesi in due ore (1827) that is sufficiently substantial to count as a new opera. See  Will Crutchfield’s article on all these various revisions including Élisabeth and the later Elisabetta first performed in London in 1997. See also Charles Jernigan, "Élisabeth Reconsidered", Donizetti Society Newsletter, no.143, (July 2021), pp.3-16.

Librettists: De Leuven and Brunswick (i.e. Adolphe von Ribbing and Léon Lévy).

First performed July 17, 2003, Caramoor Festival, New York.   

 

La Favorite (1840, also revised in Italian as La Favorita), grand opéra

Librettists: Alphonse Royer and Gustave Vaez

First performed: December 2, 1840 at the Opéra, Paris.

 

Adelia (also known as La figlia dell’arciere) (1840), opera seria

Librettists: Felice Romani and Girolamo Marini

First performed: February 11, 1841 at the Teatro Apollo, Rome. 

 

Rita (also known as Le mari battu) (1841), opéra comique

Librettist: Gustave Vaez

First performed: May 7, 1860 at the Opéra-Comique, Paris 

 

Maria Padilla (1841, revised 1842), opera seria

Librettists: Gaetano Rossi and Gaetano Donizetti

First performed:December 26, 1841 at La Scala, Milan. 

 

Linda di Chamounix (1841-2, revised 1842), opera semiseria

Librettist: Gaetano Rossi

First performed: May 19, 1842, at the Kärntnertorteater, Vienna.

 

Caterina Cornaro (1842-3), opera seria

Librettist: Giacomo Sacchero

First performed:January 18, 1844, at Teatro San Carlo, Naples. 

 

Don Pasquale (1842), opera buffa

Librettists: Giovanni Ruffini and Gaetano Donizetti

First performed: January 3, 1843, at the Théâtre-Italien, Paris.

 

Maria di Rohan (1843), opera seria

Librettists: Salvatore Cammarano

First performed: June 5, 1843, at the Kärntnertorteater, Vienna.

 

Dom Sébastien, roi de Portugal (revised in German as Dom Sebastian and in Italian as Don Sebastiano) (1843), grand opéra

Librettists: Eugène Scribe

First performed: November 13, 1843, at the Opéra, Paris.