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A French Resolution

Donald Macleod follows the irresistible rise of Italian opera composer Gaetano Donizetti. Today, a new chapter for Donizetti as he moves to Paris in search of artistic freedom.

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 makes a long-awaited move to Paris, fed up with the infuriating censorship of his operas in Italy. Looking for a fresh start, and a new audience, he ends up writing a tune that would take on an anthem-like status for the French.

La fille du regiment: Salut 脿 la France
Natalie Dessay, soprano
Choeur 鈥楲es Elements鈥
Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse
Michel Plasson, conductor

Les Martyrs: Danses (Pas de deux)
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Mark Elder, conductor

Les Martyrs, Act II: Scenes 2-4: 鈥淢on seul tresor鈥.oui j鈥檌rai鈥
Michael Spyres, tenor (Polyeucte)
Joyce El Khoury, soprano (Pauline)
Brindley Sherratt, bass (Felix)
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Mark Elder, conductor

La fille du regiment, Act I: Finale 鈥淎h mes amis鈥e suis soldat鈥
Luciano Pavarotti, tenor (Tonio)
Eric Garrett, baritone (Caporal)
Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House
Richard Bonynge, conductor

Donizetti, arr Liszt: Spirto gentil from La favorite, S400a
William Wolfram, piano

Maria Padilla, Act III: Finale 鈥淚l silenzio鈥 O padre鈥
Lois McDonall, soprano (Maria Padilla)
Della Jones, mezzo-soprano (Ines Padilla)
Christian du Plessis, baritone (Don Pedro)
Roderick Earle, bass-baritone (Ramiro)
Ian Caley, tenor (Don Luigi)
Geoffrey Mitchell Choir
London Symphony Orchestra
Alun Francis, conductor

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

22 days left to listen

59 minutes

Music Played

  • Gaetano Donizetti

    La fille du regiment: Salut 脿 la France

    Singer: Natalie Dessay. Orchestra: Toulouse Capitole Orchestra. Conductor: Michel Plasson.
    • ERATO : 5456102.
    • ERATO.
    • 9.
  • Gaetano Donizetti

    Les Martyrs (Pas de deux)

    Conductor: Mark Elder. Orchestra: Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.
    • OPERA RARA : ORC-352.
    • OPERA RARA.
    • 1.
  • Gaetano Donizetti

    Les Martyrs, Act 2, Scenes 2-4: "Mon seul tresor....oui j'irai"

    Singer: Joyce El-Khoury. Singer: Michael Spyres. Singer: Brindley Sherratt. Choir: Opera Rara Chorus. Orchestra: Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Conductor: Mark Elder.
    • OPERA RARA : ORC-352.
    • OPERA RARA.
    • 13.
  • Gaetano Donizetti

    La fille du regiment, Act 1: Ah mes amis...je suis soldat"

    Singer: Luciano Pavarotti. Singer: Eric Garrett. Orchestra: Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Choir: Royal Opera House Chorus. Conductor: Richard Bonynge.
    • DECCA : 414-520-2.
    • DECCA.
    • 12.
  • Franz Liszt

    Spirto Gentil from Donizetti's 'La favorite'

    Performer: William Wolfram.
    • NAXOS : 8.570137.
    • NAXOS.
    • 6.
  • Gaetano Donizetti

    Maria Padilla, Act 3: Finale

    Singer: Lois McDonall. Singer: Della Jones. Singer: Christian du Plessis. Singer: Roderick Earle. Singer: Ian Caley. Choir: Geoffrey Mitchell Choir. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Alun Francis.
    • OPERA RARA : 9293800064.
    • OPERA RARA.
    • 45.

Broadcast

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