DONIZETTI GAETANO: (1797-1848) Italian Composer. A fine A.L.S., G. Donizetti, two pages, small 4to, Naples, 27th September 1834, to Carlo, Visconti di Modrone, in Italian. The composer informs his correspondent that he has heard from [Giacomo] Pedroni and that he is going to enquire with [Felice] Romani if he is willing or not to write the booklet for the first opera, reminding his correspondent that they are already well into the theatre season and commenting ‘If Romani refused to do it…..I am asking you to make me aware of it, so that I can arrange another poet to do it, the same one that has been working with me on Maria Stuarda and who, with your authorisation, I would allow to deal with Giovanni I di Napoli, Tragedy of Marsuzi Romano. You can read about this fact concerning Giovanna, wife of Andrea d’Ungheria, in Giannone, or in Angelo Costanzo’s ‘Storie di Napoli’. Andrea di Napoli, a rather coarse man that was also savvy, does not belong at all to our Reigning family, our Mistress…..’. Donizetti continues to advise his correspondent that ‘The Theatre Company would include: Ronzi, Cartagenova, Poggi, Marini and others. This would happen, of course, if Romani refused to deal with the first opera of the 20th October’ before concluding ‘I hope everything will be fine, that Romani will behave as a gentleman…..I hope you will allow me to let this poet deal with the play, and not Rossi, who is far away. I hope that you will have made a final decision during the time it will take for this letter to reach Milan, and maybe by the time it gets there you will already have let me know about it. Anyhow, a prompt answer will get me out of my suffering…..’ With integral address leaf in Donizetti’s hand (the name of the recipient inked over) and with several contemporary dockets and dates. A letter of good content, not least for its reference to Donizetti’s operas Maria Stuarda and Gemma di Vergy. VG Carlo, Visconti di Modrone (1770-1836) Italian Duke, the impresario at Teatro alla Scala in Milan. Giacomo Pedroni was responsible for the preparation of scores at the music publishers Casa Ricordi. Felice Romani (1788-1865) Italian Poet who wrote many librettos for Donizetti and Bellini, including Anna Bolena and L’elisir d’amore. Maria Stuarda is a tragic opera in two acts by Donizetti with a libretto by Giuseppe Bardari (1817-1861). Inspired by an Italian translation of Friedrich Schiller’s Maria Stuart, Donizetti approached Felice Romani to write a libretto for the opera, however the poet declined the request, perhaps due to his desire to avoid writing for the theatre combined with the fact that, in 1834, he had become editor of Gazzetta Ufficiale Piemontese. Donizetti therefore turned to Bardari, a seventeen-year-old law student with no previous experience, which gave the composer the opportunity to work closely with the librettist, thereby greatly influencing the work and even writing entire scenes himself. A failed attempt to stage Maria Stuarda at La Scala occurred in late 1834 and the premiere was delayed for a year. The opera was planned for 28th December 1835 with the mezzo-soprano Maria Malibran singing in the title role, however she was indisposed and the premiere finally took place on 30th December. Donizetti had tailored the role for Malibran although it was clear she was in poor form and the composer described the evening as ‘painful, from start to finish’. Gemma di Vergy is a tragic opera in two acts by Donizetti with a libretto by Giovanni Emanuele Bidera and was first performed at La Scala on 26th December 1834 with several singers referred to in the present letter appearing in the cast.

DONIZETTI GAETANO: (1797-1848) Italian Composer. A fine A.L.S., G. Donizetti, two pages, small 4to, Naples, 27th September 1834, to Carlo, Visconti di Modrone, in Italian. The composer informs his correspondent that he has heard from [Giacomo] Pedroni and that he is going to enquire with [Felice] Romani if he is willing or not to write the booklet for the first opera, reminding his correspondent that they are already well into the theatre season and commenting ‘If Romani refused to do it…..I am asking you to make me aware of it, so that I can arrange another poet to do it, the same one that has been working with me on Maria Stuarda and who, with your authorisation, I would allow to deal with Giovanni I di Napoli, Tragedy of Marsuzi Romano. You can read about this fact concerning Giovanna, wife of Andrea d’Ungheria, in Giannone, or in Angelo Costanzo’s ‘Storie di Napoli’. Andrea di Napoli, a rather coarse man that was also savvy, does not belong at all to our Reigning family, our Mistress…..’. Donizetti continues to advise his correspondent that ‘The Theatre Company would include: Ronzi, Cartagenova, Poggi, Marini and others. This would happen, of course, if Romani refused to deal with the first opera of the 20th October’ before concluding ‘I hope everything will be fine, that Romani will behave as a gentleman…..I hope you will allow me to let this poet deal with the play, and not Rossi, who is far away. I hope that you will have made a final decision during the time it will take for this letter to reach Milan, and maybe by the time it gets there you will already have let me know about it. Anyhow, a prompt answer will get me out of my suffering…..’ With integral address leaf in Donizetti’s hand (the name of the recipient inked over) and with several contemporary dockets and dates. A letter of good content, not least for its reference to Donizetti’s operas Maria Stuarda and Gemma di Vergy. VG Carlo, Visconti di Modrone (1770-1836) Italian Duke, the impresario at Teatro alla Scala in Milan. Giacomo Pedroni was responsible for the preparation of scores at the music publishers Casa Ricordi. Felice Romani (1788-1865) Italian Poet who wrote many librettos for Donizetti and Bellini, including Anna Bolena and L’elisir d’amore. Maria Stuarda is a tragic opera in two acts by Donizetti with a libretto by Giuseppe Bardari (1817-1861). Inspired by an Italian translation of Friedrich Schiller’s Maria Stuart, Donizetti approached Felice Romani to write a libretto for the opera, however the poet declined the request, perhaps due to his desire to avoid writing for the theatre combined with the fact that, in 1834, he had become editor of Gazzetta Ufficiale Piemontese. Donizetti therefore turned to Bardari, a seventeen-year-old law student with no previous experience, which gave the composer the opportunity to work closely with the librettist, thereby greatly influencing the work and even writing entire scenes himself. A failed attempt to stage Maria Stuarda at La Scala occurred in late 1834 and the premiere was delayed for a year. The opera was planned for 28th December 1835 with the mezzo-soprano Maria Malibran singing in the title role, however she was indisposed and the premiere finally took place on 30th December. Donizetti had tailored the role for Malibran although it was clear she was in poor form and the composer described the evening as ‘painful, from start to finish’. Gemma di Vergy is a tragic opera in two acts by Donizetti with a libretto by Giovanni Emanuele Bidera and was first performed at La Scala on 26th December 1834 with several singers referred to in the present letter appearing in the cast.