‘It really is a privilege to have on hand live Grand Opera and the opportunity to sit back and celebrate it.’Â
Guildford Opera review, Jeff Thomson, Surrey Advertiser
Bellini Monument in Catania
Source: Bellini Stock Photos
Born in Sicily in 1801 into a musical family, Bellini showed prodigious talent very early on and by the age of 5 could play the piano ‘wonderfully’. Some claims however may have been exaggerated, such as that he could sing an aria at the age of eighteen months, or that he started studying music at the age of two. Bellini become a central figure of the bel canto period of Opera during his short life. He was an influence to many and had many great admirers. Verdi for instance raved about his ‘long long long melodies’, one of the characteristic features of his music. Wagner was spellbound with the way Bellini matched the music, the text and the psychology. Liszt and Chopin professed themselves fans.
Bellini composed a total of eleven operas from the period of February 1825 to January 1835, the year of his death. His death is recorded as being from a liver abscess and inflammation of the intestines, a condition that seemed to plague him all his working life.
His other output consists of various Masses and other religious works, an Oboe Concerto, piano and organ pieces, eight symphonies although these are short works being in the Italian overture tradition.
Bellini is buried in the cathedral in Catania, the town of his birth.
….the evening was a high-quality operatic experience, and the audience was fortunate to witness such a remarkable production by Guildford Opera.
NODA review
A brilliant evening…
Images from our June production are now on our Gallery page
Reviews from The Pearl Fishers
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