Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848) Episode 1 of 5: Basement Beginnings
Gaetano Donizetti composed almost 70 operas in 19th-century Italy, the age of the impresario, the prima donna and the star tenor. Donald Macleod traces his extraordinary life.
Donizetti was raised in a cramped basement flat, the son of a poor family in rural Italy, but his talent was spotted early. He would later become the most successful Italian composer of his generation. As a teenager Donizetti wrote a precocious early version of Pygmalion, and dedicated a piano piece to a generous benefactor who bought him out of his military service. His breakthrough came with an opera set in Moorish Spain, Zoraida di Granata.
00:02 Gaetano Donizetti Enrico di Borgogna - 'Elisa! Elisa! O! me infelice Singer: Della Jones. Conductor: David Parry. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra.
00:14 Gaetano Donizetti Il Pigmalione - Aria; Da smania e furor Conductor: Fabio Maestri. Ensemble: La Camera Delle Lacrime. Singer: Paolo Pellegrini.
00:22 Gaetano Donizetti Miserere in D minor - Libera me / Tunc acceptablis Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Jozsef Maklari. Choir: Slovak Philharmonic Chorus.
00:41 Gaetano Donizetti Sinfonia a Quattro Mani Performer: Giorgio Cozzolino. Performer: Pietro Spada.
First broadcast: 15 Sep 2014 (b04h7n4g) http://vk.com/wall-71199334_34