La lettera anonima (The anonymous letter) is a farce in one act composed by Gaetano Donizetti in 1822 to a libretto by Giulio Genoino [it], a former monk and the official censor of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Genoino based his libretto on his own farce[1] which, in turn, had been based on Mélite, ou Les fausses lettres by Pierre Corneille in 1630.
With a letter of recommendation from his teacher Johann Simon Mayr, Donizetti was in Naples and, on 12 May 1822, came to an agreement to write the opera with the impresarioDomenico Barbaja, for whom he had already produced La zingara (The Gypsy Girl). Six weeks later he presented the new farce to the public, the premiere taking place on 29 June 1822.
Overall, the opera appears to have been well received and given twenty performances, although according to Donizetti, "it was half-ruined by a novice singer (Cecconi)".[1] However, as has been noted, "the score contains an attractive speciality number for the dancing master, Flageolet, and an extended quartet, 'Stelle che intesti', the one number of the work to be praised by critics after the premiere"[2] because it avoided "those caballetas and that symmetrical repetition of motifs which obliges all the performers to repeat the same musical phrases no matter what the different emotions may agitate them".[3]
Countess Rosina and Captain Filinto are going to get married. An anonymous letter claiming that the Captain is already married to another arrives on the wedding day. This letter is finally found to be false, and the preparations for the wedding party continue.
Recordingsedit
Year
Cast: Countess Rosina, Filinto, Melita, Lauretta, Don Macario
Allitt, John Stewart (1991), Donizetti: in the light of Romanticism and the teaching of Johann Simon Mayr, Shaftesbury: Element Books, Ltd (UK); Rockport, MA: Element, Inc.(USA)
Ashbrook, William (1982), Donizetti and His Operas, Cambridge University Press. ISBN0-521-23526-X
Weinstock, Herbert (1963), Donizetti and the World of Opera in Italy, Paris, and Vienna in the First Half of the Nineteenth Century, New York: Pantheon Books. LCCN 63-13703
External linksedit
Donizetti Society (London) website
December 19, 2023
lettera, anonima, anonymous, letter, farce, composed, gaetano, donizetti, 1822, libretto, giulio, genoino, former, monk, official, censor, kingdom, sicilies, genoino, based, libretto, farce, which, turn, been, based, mélite, fausses, lettres, pierre, corneille. La lettera anonima The anonymous letter is a farce in one act composed by Gaetano Donizetti in 1822 to a libretto by Giulio Genoino it a former monk and the official censor of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies Genoino based his libretto on his own farce 1 which in turn had been based on Melite ou Les fausses lettres by Pierre Corneille in 1630 La lettera anonimaFarsa by Gaetano DonizettiDonizetti as a young manLibrettistGiulio GenoinoLanguageItalianBased onMelite ou Les fausses lettresby Pierre CorneillePremiere29 June 1822 1822 06 29 Teatro Nuovo NaplesWith a letter of recommendation from his teacher Johann Simon Mayr Donizetti was in Naples and on 12 May 1822 came to an agreement to write the opera with the impresario Domenico Barbaja for whom he had already produced La zingara The Gypsy Girl Six weeks later he presented the new farce to the public the premiere taking place on 29 June 1822 Overall the opera appears to have been well received and given twenty performances although according to Donizetti it was half ruined by a novice singer Cecconi 1 However as has been noted the score contains an attractive speciality number for the dancing master Flageolet and an extended quartet Stelle che intesti the one number of the work to be praised by critics after the premiere 2 because it avoided those caballetas and that symmetrical repetition of motifs which obliges all the performers to repeat the same musical phrases no matter what the different emotions may agitate them 3 Contents 1 Roles 2 Synopsis 3 Recordings 4 References 5 External linksRoles editRole Voice type Premiere cast 1 29 June 1822 2 Conductor Countess Rosina soprano Flora FabbriCaptain Filinto her lover tenor Giovanni BattistaMelita Rosina s tenant soprano Teresa CecconiLauretta Rosina s maid soprano Raffaela de BernardisDon Macario Rosina s Uncle baritone De FranchiGiliberto Don Macario s Housekeeper bass Giovanni PaceFlagiolet A Dancing Teacher baritone CalvarolaChorus Servants and Room attendantsSynopsis editPlace France Time 17th century 1 Countess Rosina and Captain Filinto are going to get married An anonymous letter claiming that the Captain is already married to another arrives on the wedding day This letter is finally found to be false and the preparations for the wedding party continue Recordings editYear Cast Countess Rosina Filinto Melita Lauretta Don Macario Conductor Opera House and Orchestra Label 4 1972 Benedetta Pecchioli Pietro Bottazzo Rosa Laghezza Carla Virgili Rolando Panerai Franco Caracciolo Orchestra Scarlatti di Napoli and the Amici della Polifonia Chorus CD On StageCat 4702References editNotes a b c d Osborne 1994 pp 149 50 a b Ashbrook and Hibberd 2001 p 226 The critic of the Giornale del Regno delle Due Sicilie quoted in Osborne 1994 p 149 Recordings on Operadis opera discography org uk Retrieved 24 August 2012 Cited sources Ashbrook William and Sarah Hibberd 2001 in Holden Amanda Ed The New Penguin Opera Guide New York Penguin Putnam ISBN 0 14 029312 4 pp 224 247 Osborne Charles The Bel Canto Operas of Rossini Donizetti and Bellini Portland Oregon Amadeus Press 1994 ISBN 0 931340 71 3Other sources Allitt John Stewart 1991 Donizetti in the light of Romanticism and the teaching of Johann Simon Mayr Shaftesbury Element Books Ltd UK Rockport MA Element Inc USA Ashbrook William 1982 Donizetti and His Operas Cambridge University Press ISBN 0 521 23526 X Ashbrook William 1998 Donizetti Gaetano in Stanley Sadie Ed The New Grove Dictionary of Opera Vol One London Macmillan Publishers Inc ISBN 0 333 73432 7 ISBN 1 56159 228 5 Black John 1982 Donizetti s Operas in Naples 1822 1848 London The Donizetti Society Loewenberg Alfred 1970 Annals of Opera 1597 1940 2nd edition Rowman and Littlefield Sadie Stanley Ed John Tyrell Exec Ed 2004 The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians 2nd edition London Macmillan ISBN 978 0 19 517067 2 hardcover ISBN 0 19 517067 9 OCLC 419285866 eBook Weinstock Herbert 1963 Donizetti and the World of Opera in Italy Paris and Vienna in the First Half of the Nineteenth Century New York Pantheon Books LCCN 63 13703External links editDonizetti Society London website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title La lettera anonima amp oldid 1102675718, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
