High Notes and Low Ebbs
Donald Macleod follows the irresistible rise of Italian opera composer Gaetano Donizetti. Today, Donizetti battles 鈥減irates鈥�, writes about love potions, and falls in love himself.
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鈥檚 star continues to rise, as he takes on tales of the Tudors and battles the so-called 鈥減irates鈥� of the opera industry. We find him brewing up bogus love-potions, and falling in love himself, without recourse to any artificial aids.
Amor marinaro
Ekaterina Siurina, soprano
Iain Burnside, piano
L鈥檈lisir d鈥檃more, Act I: 鈥淐he vuol dire codesta suonata?鈥�
Ambrosian Opera Chorus
English Chamber Orchestra
Richard Bonynge, conductor
String Quartet No 17 鈥� 2nd and 3rd movements
The Revolutionary Drawing Room
L鈥橢sule di Roma, Act II: Scene 5 鈥淣on v鈥檈鈥� Al mio delitto!
Nicolo Alaimo, bass-baritone (Murena)
Opera Rara Chorus
Britten Sinfonia
Carlo Rizzi, conductor
Anna Bolena: Sinfonia (Overture)
Welsh National Opera Orchestra
Richard Bonynge, conductor
L鈥橢lisir d鈥檃more, Act II: 鈥淯na furtiva lagrima鈥� Prendi, per mei sei libero鈥�
Angela Gheorgiu, soprano (Adina)
Roberto Alagna, tenor (Nemorino)
Orchestre de l鈥橭pera de Lyon
Evelino Pid貌, conductor
Lucrezia Borgia, Act II: Finale 鈥淓ra dessa il figlio mio鈥�
Dame Joan Sutherland, soprano (Lucrezia)
London Opera Chorus
National Philharmonic Orchestra
Richard Bonynge, conductor
Produced by Amelia Parker for 麻豆社 Audio Wales and West.
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Music Played
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Gaetano Donizetti
Amor Marinaro
Performer: Iain Burnside. Singer: Ekaterina Siurina.- OPUS ARTE : OACD-9017D.
- OPUS ARTE.
- 17.
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Gaetano Donizetti
L'elisir d'amore, Act 1: 'Che vuol dire codesta suonata?'
Choir: Ambrosian Singers. Orchestra: English Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Richard Bonynge.- DECCA : 414-461 2.
- DECCA.
- 8.
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Gaetano Donizetti
String Quartet No 17 in D major (2nd & 3rd mvts)
Ensemble: The Revolutionary Drawing Room.- CPO : 999-282 2.
- CPO.
- 6.
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Gaetano Donizetti
L'Esule di Roma, Act 2: Scene 5 'Non v'e....Al mio delitto!'
Singer: Nicolo Alaimo. Choir: Opera Rara Chorus. Orchestra: Britten Sinfonia. Conductor: Carlo Rizzi.- OPERA RARA : 9193800642.
- OPERA RARA.
- 22.
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Gaetano Donizetti
Anna Bolena Sinfonia
Orchestra: Vienna Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Silvio Varviso.- ELOQUENCE : ELQ-4828779.
- ELOQUENCE.
- 1.
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Gaetano Donizetti
L'Elisir d'amore, Act 2: Una furtiva lagrima...Prendi, per mei sei libero
Singer: Angela Gheorghiu. Singer: Roberto Alagna. Orchestra: Lyon Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Evelino Pid貌.- DECCA : 4783416.
- DECCA.
- 10.
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Gaetano Donizetti
Lucrezia Borgia, Act 2: Finale
Singer: Joan Sutherland. Choir: London Opera Chorus. Orchestra: National Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Richard Bonynge.- DECCA : 421497-2.
- DECCA.
- 17.
Broadcast
- Tue 17 Mar 2026 16:00麻豆社 Radio 3
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