Vincenzo Bellini, Italian composer: biography, creativity

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Vincenzo Bellini, a brilliant successor to the traditions of bel canto opera, lived a short but very productive life. He left 11 magnificent works, striking in their melody and harmony. Norma, an opera he wrote at the age of 30, is now in the top 10 most popular classical compositions.

Childhood

The Bellini family has been associated with music for several generations. The grandfather of the future world-famous operatic author, Vincenzo Tobio, was a composer and organist, Rosario's father was a chapel leader and composer, giving music lessons to the aristocratic families of Sicilian Catania. Vincenzo Bellini was born on November 3, 1801. From an early age, he began to demonstrate musical abilities. The family was not particularly we althy, but love and creativity reigned here.

Years of study

From the age of five, Vincenzo Bellini began to learn to play the piano, his grandfather became his mentor. Already at the age of seven, the boy writes his own work - the church hymn Tantum ergo. But give it to the music althere was no school opportunity, so until the age of 14 he continued to study with his grandfather. By this age, Vincenzo was already a local celebrity.

Duchess Eleonore Sammartino became interested in his fate, who ensured that the young man was given a scholarship to study at the Naples Conservatory, and in June 1819 the young man was enrolled in the first year. A year later, he brilliantly passed the midterm exam, which determined those who would continue their studies and who would not. Vincenzo was not only kept at the school, but also transferred to free education, which allowed him to free up the city's funds, help his family and study further thanks to his talent.

At the Bellini Conservatory he studied with the outstanding teacher Zingarelli, who was very strict with the young man and always advised him to study melody. During the years of study, he forced the student to write more than 400 solfeggios. At the conservatory, Bellini meets his future best friend Mercadante and future biographer, Florimo. Years of study had a serious impact on the young man, then his original musical style is formed. In 1824, the young man again brilliantly passed the next exam. The reward for this was not only improved living conditions, but also the opportunity to attend the opera twice a week for free.

During his studies, he first heard Italian operas, which made an indelible impression on him. After listening to Rossini's Semiramide, for some time he lost faith in his abilities, but soon he revived and accepted the work of the greatpredecessor as a challenge. He began working on his first opera, Adelson et Salvini, based on the French novel by Arnaud. In 1825, it was staged by students and was quite a success. Donizetti listened to this opera and gave the work and its author a very high rating. As always, Bellini passes the final exam with flying colours, and is rewarded with a contract to write an opera for the theatre.

First order

After passing the final exam, Bellini receives permission to teach, and as a reward he is given the opportunity to write an opera for the royal theater. He was given complete freedom of choice, and he settled on the text of the young author Domenico Gilardoni "Carlo, Duke of Agrigento", who created the libretto of "Bianca and Gernando". Italian opera at that time was the most fashionable spectacle, the whole world gathered for the premieres. The audience was quite demanding, and it was not easy to please her, but the premiere of Bellini's opera was greeted with enthusiasm. On May 30, 1826, the premiere of his opera took place at the San Carlo Theater, and even the king himself, contrary to tradition, stood up and clapped the author. Zingarelli was overwhelmed with pride in his student and predicted a great future for him.

Pirate

Success provided the novice composer with a new order. The manager of the royal theaters invites Vincenzo to write an opera for La Scala in Milan. Composing music becomes the only source of income for Bellini, he lives in Milan and is working on a new opera, which the public is looking forward to. This project has developedthe tandem of the composer and librettist Felice Romani, which lasted until the end of the musician's career. The unique style of Vincenzo Bellini manifested itself in Pirate, his arias and vocalizations are very melodic, and the actors do not just sing, but convey the feelings of the character. On October 27, 1827, the sophisticated Milanese public awarded the debutant with a standing ovation. For each next show, there were full houses and calls from the author. All this inspired the composer.

Outlander

A year after the success of The Pirate, La Scala Theater commissions Bellini a new opera. The composer uses Arlincourt's novel as a literary basis. Its plot is ideal for a bel canto opera. The Milanese audience was looking forward to the premiere of a new work by the already beloved composer. In 1829, the opera was presented to the audience. She fully met expectations and showed an already mature master. The success was enormous. Bellini's Outlander showed many features of his unique style and presented several original musical solutions. Barcarolle had an innovative stage design that shocked the audience.

Sleepwalker

In 1831, Belinia's new work, La Sonnambula, appeared on the stage of the Carcano theater in Milan. The premiere was a success. The master confidently uses his innovative techniques in music and stage solutions. In "Sleepwalker" he continues his favorite theme - experiences and passions. Critics' reviews of this opera are full of delight, they are already widely usingthe word "masterpiece", evaluating the work of the composer. "Sleepwalker" is distinguished by harmonious integrity, logical development of the plot and gentle melody. She became the epitome of the new bel canto opera.

Norma

In the same 1831, "Norma" appeared, the opera that glorified Bellini. However, her contemporaries received her rather coolly. Only the famous cavatina "Casta Diva" was greeted with a standing ovation. In this work, the composer embodied all his best practices and techniques. It is the work of a mature master. The title aria "Casta Diva" is still one of the most difficult soprano parts in the world. Despite the weak premiere success, the opera had a happy fate. After a few shows, the Milanese public changed their anger to mercy and applauded the maestro. "Norma" by Vincenzo Bellini is a recognized classic of world culture, it is one of the most frequently performed operas. In it, he was able to achieve absolute harmony of music and plot.

Puritans

Vincenzo Bellini, whose biography is closely connected with his work, lived his works, each of which was a certain stage for him. His last opera - "Puritans" - was not conceived by the author as a career-ending work. The literary source for the libretto was W. Scott's novel. The premiere took place on January 25, 1835 in Paris and became a significant event in French cultural life. The success was so significant that Bellini was granted an audience with the royal family and awarded the Legion of Honor.

Opera legacy

In total, the composer wrote 11 operas in his life, not all of them were successful. So, "Zaire" according to V. Scott was not particularly successful. This is due to the too tight deadlines allotted for work, and difficulties with the libretto. A similar fate awaited the opera "Beatrice di Trenda" based on the tragedy by C. Fores. The main operas of Vincenzo Bellini: "Norma", "Outlander", "Sleepwalker", "Puritanes" - are still successfully performed in different theaters of the world. The name of the composer is on a par with such great Italians as Rossini and Donizetti. And Vincenzo Bellini's Casta Diva has become a real test for all vocalists in the world. Only the best singers pass this test. Maria Callas became the most famous performer of the role of Norma, she performed it a record number of times - 89. Contemporary opera stars Montserrat Caballe and Anna Netrebko also shine with their vocals in this role.

Vincenzo Bellini's musical style

The composer entered the history of music as the greatest master of Italian bel canto. His work is distinguished by exquisite melody, notes of folk Neapolitan and Sicilian songs. His innovation manifested itself in the melody of recitatives. Before him, no one had done this. He sought to balance the realism of the depicted events, the melody and the deep feelings of the characters. His work has influenced composers such as Wagner and Chopin.

Private life

Vincenzo Bellini lived a short life, but it was extremely eventful. He has always worked very hard. So, Norma's ariarewrote six times, but at the same time managed to live a full life. Even while studying in Naples, Vincenzo started an affair with the daughter of one of the teachers of the music college, he was even ready to marry a girl, but her parents were against it. Although they later changed their minds, the marriage never took place. The growing fame made the composer very attractive to women. He is credited with a considerable number of novels that inspired him for creativity. In 1828 he met a married lady, Judith Turina. The romance between them lasted five years, it was a story full of tears, dramas, jealousy, even scandals. He would later call this relationship hell.

During his life, Bellini managed to work in Milan, Venice, Paris, London. He spent most of his creative life in Milan. The city gave him everything: love, fame, prosperity. For the last two years he lived in Paris, trying to win over the French public. During his life, the composer had several high-ranking patrons who contributed to his career.

Hard work undermined the he alth of the composer. At the end of the summer of 1835, he was very sick and on September 22 he died of intestinal inflammation. He was originally buried in Paris, but the ashes were later moved to Sicily.