Gaetano Donizetti

A versatile and prolific composer whose works dominated opera houses in the late 1830s and 1840s, Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848) had an enormous influence on subsequent opera composers, including Verdi. Yet the texts of many of his operas pose numerous problems, partly due to the accumulation of changes made by generations of interpreters. With the renewed popularity of his operas, the need for a critical edition became keenly felt. This highly acclaimed edition does not aim to publish all his works, but should offer a variety of operas, from those still in repertory to a selection of titles that are especially significant for historical or musical reasons. The critical edition of "Maria Stuarda", based principally on the rediscovered autograph score, restores the two-act structure, the original opening chorus, a substantial part of the first finale, and Donizetti's original phrasing and orchestration. Appendices include an overture (1835) and original vocal variants. One of Donizetti's most brilliant comedies, "Il Campanello" was initially written as a farce with spoken dialogues, but was revised by the composer with recitatives and new pieces. Based on several newly examined sources, the critical edition presents both the original and revised versions. "La Favorite" was a huge success from the start and a mainstay of the Paris Opera for decades. Yet the version known in this century reflects a coarsely manipulated Italian adaptation of the original. The critical edition reconstructs the 1840 French version from autograph material that in many cases has been examined for the first time. Appendices include an alternate cabaletta in Act Three and contemporary vocal variants.