Composer of the Week - Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848) - Episode 3

Donald Macleod explores Donizetti's life and work, focusing on how he took Paris by storm. At Rossini's invitation, Donizetti previously had an opera staged at the Theatre-Italien, but his ambition was to storm that bastion of French culture, the Paris Opera, before retiring. In the event, Donizetti exceeded his goal, with productions running at all four major Parisian opera houses. It led a despairing Berlioz to complain of an 'invasion' of the city by the Italian composer. Don Pasquale - 1842 (excerpt) - Ah! un foco insolito Don Pasquale ...... Renato Bruson Munich Radio Orchestra Roberto Abbado (conductor) RCA 09026 61924 2, CD 1 track 6 La fille du regiment - 1839 (excerpts from Act 1) - Rataplan, rataplan, rataplan - Ah! mes amis, quel jour de fete! - Le camarade est amoureux! Hortensius ...... Jules Bruyere Tonio ...... Luciano Pavarotti The corporal ...... Eric Garrett Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Richard Bonynge (conductor) Decca 414 520-2, CD 1 tracks 11-13 La fille du regiment (excerpt from Act 2) - Le jour naissait dans le bocage Marie ...... Joan Sutherland Sulpice ...... Spiro Malas The Marquise ...... Monica Sinclair Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Richard Bonynge (conductor) Decca 414 520-2, CD 2 track 3 La favorite - 1840 (Act 4) - Ange si pur - Finale Leonor ...... Vesselina Kasarova Fernand ...... Ramon Vargas Balthazar ...... Carlo Colombara Chorus of the Bavarian Radio Munich Radio Orchestra Marcello Viotti (conductor) RCA 74321 66229 2, CD 2 tracks 14-15 Don Pasquale - 1840 (excerpt from Act 4 - closing number) - La morale in tuto questo Norina ...... Eva Mei Ernesto ...... Frank Lopardo Malatesta ...... Thomas Allen Don Pasquale ...... Renato Bruson Chorus of the Bavarian Radio Munich Radio Orchestra Roberto Abbado (conductor) RCA 09026 61924 2, CD 2 track 16.