Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835) Episode 5 of 6: A Flower Fades Too Soon
Vincenzo Bellini died tragically young, at the age of just 33. His funeral was attended by the musicians and artists of Paris, 350 singers performed a mass, a quartet of the greatest opera singers of the day performed one of Bellini's arias, and composers Rossini and Cherubini were pallbearers.
We hear the final scene of the opera Beatrice di Tenda with the great 20th Century exponent of Bellini heroines, Joan Sutherland singing the title role, the duet Suoni le tromba from Bellini's final opera I Puritani, and the aria Ah! non credea mirarti / Sì presto estinto, o fiore from La Sonnambula sung by Maria Callas, which is the inscription on Bellini's tomb in Catania: 'Oh, flower, I did not believe you would fade so soon'. Presented by Donald Macleod.
00:02 Vincenzo Bellini I Puritani Di Scozia - Act 3 no.21b; Credeasi, misera [Arturo & ensemble] Performer: Coro del Teatro dell'Opera di Roma Singer: London Symphony Orchestra Singer: Luciano Pavarotti Singer: Dame Joan Sutherland Singer: Nicolaï Ghiaurov
00:19 Vincenzo Bellini Beatrice Di Tenda -Act 2 Scene 3: Prega. Ah no, non sia la misera (chorus)...Nulla io dissi Performer: London Symphony Orchestra Performer: The Ambrosian Singers Conductor: Richard Bonynge Singer: Dame Joan Sutherland
00:32 Vincenzo Bellini Il Fervido Desiderio - Arietta For Voice And Piano Performer: Martin Katz Singer: José Carreras
00:38 Vincenzo Bellini I Puritani Di Scozia (extract) Conductor: Miguel Ángel Gómez Martínez Singer: Thomas Hampson Singer: Samuel Ramey
00:54 Vincenzo Bellini La Sonnambula - Act 2 sc.2; Ah non credea mirarti Singer: Maria Callas Singer: Nicola Monti Orchestra: Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano Conductor: Antonino Votto
First broadcast: 25 Sep 2015 (b06c9vkq) http://vk.com/wall-71199334_101