THE UNIVERSAL COMPENDIUM
 Home | Subjects | A-Z List | Search | About UC | Contact

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UC Picture Gallery

 



The operas of Vincenzo Bellini


Vincenzo Bellini is considered one of the most significant composers of the bel canto operatic tradition. His operas are characterised by their emphasis on refined vocal expression, elegant phrasing, and intricate ornamentation. His compositions reveal a profound understanding of the human voice, with meticulously crafted melodies that showcase the agility and emotional depth of the singer. Through his masterful orchestration, Bellini creates a rich musical backdrop that enhances the dramatic narrative without overshadowing the vocal performances. Additionally, his keen sense of dramatic pacing and structural coherence ensures that each opera unfolds with clarity and fluidity, captivating audiences with its seamless integration of music and storytelling. Bellini's innovative techniques and meticulous attention to vocal detail have cemented his legacy as a master of operatic composition.

The Operas
Title
Genre 
Librettist
Premiere Date 
Premiere Location
Adelson e Salvini
Drama in three acts
Valentino Fioravanti from a libretto of 1816 by Andrea Leone Tottola
Jan. 1825
Teatrino del Conservatorio di S. Sebastiano, Naples

Bianca e Gernando
Melodrama in two acts
Domenico Gilardoni from the play Bianca e Fernando alla Tomba di Carlo IV, duca di Agrigento (1820) by Carlo Roti
30 May 1826 
Teatro S. Carlo, Naples
Il Pirata
Melodrama in two acts
Felice Romani from the play Bertram (1816) by Charles R. Maturin
27 Oct. 1827
Teatro alla Scala, Milan
Bianca e Fernando*
Melodrama in two acts
Felice Romani from the libretto Bianca e Gernando by Domenico Gilardoni
7 April 1828
Teatro Carlo Felice, Genoa
La straniera
Melodrama in two acts
Felice Romani from the novel L'éstrangère (1825) by Charles d'Arlincourt
14 Feb. 1829
Teatro alla Scala, Milan
Zaira
Lyrical tragedy in two acts
Felice Romani from the play Zaire (1732) by Voltaire
16 May 1829
Teatro Ducale, Parma
I Capuleti e i Montecchi
Lyrical tragedy in two acts
Felice Romani from the libretto Giulietta e Romeo (1825) by Nicola Vaccai
11 Mar. 1830
Teatro La Fenice, Venice
La Somnambula
Melodrama in two acts
Felice Romani form the ballet La Somnambule ou L'arrivée d'un nouveau seigneur (1827) by Eugène Scribe
6 Mar. 1831
Teatro Carcano, Milan
Norma
Lyrical tragedy in two acts
Felice Romani from the play Norma (1831) by Alexandre Soumet
26 Dec. 1831
Teatro alla Scala, Milan
Beatrice di Tenda
Lyrical tragedy in two acts
Felice Romani from the play Beatrice di Tenda (1825) by Carlo Tedaldi-Fores
16 Mar. 1833
Teatro La Fenice, Venice
I Puritani
'Serious' melodrama in three acts
Carlo Pepoli from the play Têtes rondes et Cavaliers (1833) by Jacques Acelot and Xavier Saintine
24 Jan. 1835

Théâtre Italien, Paris



Notes

* New version of Bellini's opera Bianca e Gernando


Source:
E. Rescigno, ed. Norma: libretto di Felice Romani. Milan: G. Ricordi & C. S.p.A., 1994.
   

About UC | Contact
© 2024 The Universal Compendium. All Rights Reserved.