Vincenzo Bellini's Life and Works
Italian 'Bel Canto' Opera Composer of the Romantic Period
Vincenzo Bellini's biography - his life, operas, and other works. He is best known for opera Norma and 'bel canto' (beautiful singing.)
Vincenzo Bellini, Italian composer of the Romantic period, established himself as the master of the Italian operatic bel canto ('beautiful singing). He has been widely acclaimed for his opera Norma. In Italian bel canto operas, the story and setting takes a back seat in favor of beautiful voice, and arias have long melodic score and dramatic tension brilliantly crafted.
Born on November 3, 1801, in the Sicilian town of Catania, Bellini started piano lessons from his father. A child prodigy, at five years of age, he already played the piano very well and immediately developed simplicity of melodic expression. Later in his teens, he studied at Naples Conservatory.
Bellini's first opera, Adelson e Salvini, was produced in 1825 while still a student. This attracted the attention of Domenico Barbaia, who commissioned him to write Bianca e Gernando, produced at the Teatro San Carlo. Norma and La Sonnambula (The Sleepwalker) followed. In I Puritani (The Puritans), his last work, he discovered a new boldness and vigour of orchestral effect.
Two years after he wrote Norma, he travelled to London and Paris, where he met and befriended Gioachino Rossini and Frédéric Chopin.
Like Mozart and Schubert, he also died in his thirties. His popularity after his death was enormous, but later his operas fell into neglect. Since World War II, however, singers including Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland, and Montserrat Caballe, have helped restore Bellini’s popularity particularly with his masterpiece Norma.
He once told Count Carlo Pepoli, an exiled Italian poet he had difficulty working with as a librettist: “Carve in your head by letter of brass: an opera must draw tears, cause horror, bring death, by means of a song.” This is exactly what his operas portray.
Bellini was appointed a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur. He died in Puteaux near Paris, from gastroenteritis, aged 34.
Bellini was a contemporary and rival of Gaetano Donizetti, famous for opera L'Elisir d'amore. With Felice Romani his librettist, they were the Rodgers and Hammerstein of their day. They collaborated on six operas.
Bellini's Major Operas
- Adelson e Salvini (Adelson and Salvini) 1825
- Bianca e Gernando (Bianca and Gernando) 1826
- Il Pirata (The Pirate) 1827
- La straniera (The Foreigner) 1829
- Zaira 1829
- I Capuleti e i Montecchi (The Capulets and the Montagues) 1830
- La sonnambula (The Sleepwalker) 1831
- Norma, including 'The Warriors' Chorus' 1831
- Beatrice di Tenda 1833
- I Puritani (The Puritans) 1835
Suggested Bellini Recording
Opera Norma (highlights), either performed by Maria Callas or Dame Joan Sutherland in the leading role.
Consulted Sources
The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd Edition, edited by Stanley Sadie, Macmillan (2000)
