DONIZETTI GAETANO: (1797-1848)

DONIZETTI GAETANO: (1797-1848) Italian Composer. A leading figure of the Bel CAnto during the first half of the nineteenth century. A good content and very good musical association letter, A.L.S., with his initials, one page, 8vo, n.p., n.d., to Mr. Geiger, in French. The letter bears to the upper left front page a crowned Bath blind embossed seal. To the address leaf Donizetti annotates ` To Monsieur Geiger, famous Composer, to his home´. Donizetti refers to the male singers chosen for a performance he is organizing, and states ` Mr Varesi, Mr. Gardoni , et Mr. Rovere (auquel il faut parler) chanteront le trio de Scaramuccia. Il faut donc trouver les parties pour les chanteurs et pour l´orchestre. J´ai prié Mr. Gardoni qui veut bien se prêter à chanter, pourvu que Merelli lui accorde la permission.´ (Translation: " Mr. Varesi, Mr. Gardoni. and Mr. Rovere (whom we need to talk to) will sing the Scaramuccia trio. We must therefore find the scores for the singers and for the orchestra. I have asked Mr. Gardoni who is willing to accept himself to sing, provided that Merelli grants him permission." Further, Donizetti asks his correspondent to choose an additional piece to perform, saying ` Choisissez un duo pour tenor et baryton, ou bien pour bariton et basse. Indiquez-les nous tout de suite, et alors je me charge de le leur apprendre´ (Translation: " Choose a duet for tenor and baritone, or for baritone and bass. Tell us about them right away, and then I'll take care of teaching them.") A letter of very good association and musical content. With address leaf. Small overall minor creasing, otherwise G to VG Felice Varesi (1813-1889) French-born Italian Baritone. Specializing initially in the bel canto operas of Donizetti, Varesi created the role of Antonio in Donizetti's opera Linda di Chamounix (1842) Italo Gardoni (1821-1882) Italian leading operatic Tenor with major international career during the middle decades of the 19th century. Gardoni was one of the most celebrated Italian tenors of his era. His voice was not large but it was exceptionally pure toned and sweet, singing legato passages with impressive smoothness. In 1847 Gardoni went to London and during the last years of Donizetti´s life he sang most of the composer´s operas in London, including L´Elisir d´Amore, Lucrezia Borgia, Lucia di Lammermoor or Anna Bolena. Agostino Rovere (1804-1865) Italian operatic Bass. In 1839 he sang the role of Pedrigo in the world premiere of Donizetti´s Gianni di Parigi. Un'avventura di Scaramuccia (1834) is an opera bufa by Italian Poet and Librettist Felice Romani (1788-1865). Romani wrote many librettos for Bellini and Rossini, and also the Anna Bolena (1830), L´Elisir d´Amore (1832) and Lucrezia Borgia (1833) for Gaetano Donizetti.