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Onwards and Upwards

Composer of the Week Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848)
Episode 1 of 5

Donald Macleod follows the irresistible rise of Italian opera composer Gaetano Donizetti. Today, a musical father figure transforms young Gaetano鈥檚 prospects.

Gaetano Donizetti was one of Italy鈥檚 most prolific tunesmiths, with almost 70 operas to his name 鈥� about as many as Rossini, Bellini and Verdi all combined - whose arias still cut straight to the heart today. All this week, Donald Macleod follows his irresistible rise: from a child brought up in a dark, cramped cellar to become a pioneering master of the style known as bel canto. And like any opera plot, there鈥檚 triumph and tragedy, headaches and heartbreak鈥�

Today, Donizetti is plucked from the cramped underground cellar of his birthplace to become a choirboy. He finds a musical father figure to make up for his own father鈥檚 cantankerous attitude, and despite a plague of bad luck in his early stage productions, he鈥檚 hailed as a 鈥渘ew hope for Italian opera鈥�.

L鈥橢lisir d鈥檃more: Cantiam, facciam brindisi
English Chamber Orchestra
Richard Bonynge, conductor
Sinfonia for Winds in G minor
Camerata Budapest
L谩szl贸 Kov谩cs, conductor

Gloria (from Messa di Gloria)
Siri Karoline Thornhill, soprano
Marie-Sande Papenmeyer, mezzo
Mark Adler, tenor
Martin Berner, baritone
Simon Mayr Chorus
Bayerischer Staatsopernchor
Concerto de Bassus
Franz Hauk, conductor

String Quartet No 5 in E minor (1st and 2nd movements)
Quartet Pleyel K枚ln
Enrico di Borgogna, Act I: 鈥淐are augette che spiegate鈥�
Della Jones, soprano
Philharmonia Orchestra
David Parry, conductor

Waltz in G major
Larissa Kondratjewa, piano
Reinhard Schmiedel, piano

Zoraida, Act I: Finale 鈥淚l silenzio鈥�..qual tradimento鈥�
Bruce Ford, tenor (Almuzir)
Majella Cullagh, soprano (Zoraida)
Paul Austin Kelly, tenor (Abenamet)
Matthew Hargreaves, bass (Ali)
Dominic Natoli, tenor (Almanzor)
Cristina Pastorello, soprano (Ines)
Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields
David Parry, conductor

Produced by Amelia Parker for 麻豆社 Audio Wales and West.

16 days left to listen

59 minutes

Last on

Mon 16 Mar 2026 16:00
麻豆社 Radio 3

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High Notes and Low EbbsGaetano Donizetti (1797-1848)

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Music Played

  • Gaetano Donizetti

    L' Elisir d'amore (excerpt)

    Orchestra: English Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Richard Bonynge.
    • DECCA : 414-461 2.
    • DECCA.
    • 2.

  • Gaetano Donizetti

    Sinfonia for Winds in G minor

    Orchestra: Camerata Budapest. Conductor: Laszlo Kovacs.
    • NAXOS : 8.-557492.
    • NAXOS.
    • 1.

  • Gaetano Donizetti

    Gloria (from Messa di Gloria)

    Singer: Siri Karoline Thornhill. Singer: Marie Sande Papenmeyer. Singer: Mark Adler. Singer: Martin Berner. Choir: Simon Mayr Chorus. Choir: Choir of the Bavarian State Opera. Ensemble: Concerto de Bassus. Conductor: Franz Hauk.
    • NAXOS : 8.573605.
    • NAXOS.
    • 2.

  • Gaetano Donizetti

    String Quartet No 5 in E minor (1st & 2nd mvts)

    Ensemble: Quartet Pleyel Koln.
    • CPO : 555-240 2.
    • CPO.
    • 5.

  • Gaetano Donizetti

    Enrico di Borgogna, Act 1: 'Cara augette che spiegate'

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Singer: Della Jones. Conductor: David Parry.
    • OPERA RARA : 9293802034.
    • OPERA RARA.
    • 1.

  • Gaetano Donizetti

    Waltz in G major

    Performer: Larissa Kondratjewa. Conductor: Reinhard Schmiedel.
    • CPO : 999 163-2.
    • CPO.
    • 1.

  • Gaetano Donizetti

    Zoraida di Granata, Act 1: Finale

    Singer: Bruce Ford. Singer: Majella Cullagh. Singer: Paul Austin Kelly. Singer: Matthew Hargreaves. Singer: Dominic Natoli. Singer: Cristina Pastorello. Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: David Parry.
    • OPERA RARA : 9293800174.
    • OPERA RARA.
    • 5.

Broadcast

  • Mon 16 Mar 2026 16:00
    麻豆社 Radio 3

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