Donizetti and French Culture – “Je ne me plaignis pas” cover art

Donizetti and French Culture – “Je ne me plaignis pas”

Donizetti and French Culture – “Je ne me plaignis pas”

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 When Gaetano Donizetti arrived in Paris in the late 1830s, he entered the undisputed capital of the 19th-century opera world. Driven from Italy by personal tragedy and professional frustration, he launched a veritable invasion, writing simultaneously for the city's three main opera houses and dazzling high society with his incredible creative energy.In this episode, host Flora Willson is joined by opera scholar Professor Roger Parker to explore this remarkable chapter in Donizetti's life.We discover how he adapted his style for the epic scale of French "grand opera" in works like Les Martyrs, and how he crafted a new, sophisticated voice in the intimate songs he wrote for the city's exclusive salons.Along the way, we'll hear two stunning examples of his French songs and uncover a surprising secret: how a melody written for the salon found its way into one of his most beloved comic operas, La Fille du Régiment.Opera Rara's mission is to unearth, restore, and record the forgotten gems of this period. To help us continue this vital work of musical discovery and share it with the world, please consider making a gift by visiting our support page at https://www.opera-rara.com/support."This sort of atmosphere is very common in the French songs of this, a man sort of delighting in the cruelty of the woman... which I think the Italians would have found slightly vulgar, actually." - Roger ParkerChapters00:00 - How Donizetti Conquered Paris04:41 - Inside the 19th-Century Paris Opera Scene09:07 - Deconstructing Donizetti's Grand Opera, Les Martyrs15:28 - How French Salons Shaped Donizetti's Songs20:11 - "I Didn't Complain": A Salon Lament with a Secret27:03 - From Opera to Salon: A Tale of Two Songs32:15 - The Surprising International Market for Salon Music35:05 - Ask Opera Rara: Rediscovering Lost Operas & Donizetti's BrotherGet InvolvedREVIEW & SUBSCRIBE: Follow or subscribe to make sure you never miss an episode. And please leave a review to help other opera-lovers discover our work.DISCOVER: Opera Rara's work to unearth, restore, and record lost and forgotten operas by some of music's greatest composers: https://opera-rara.com/SUPPORT: A unique operatic vision and help us create more content like this: https://www.opera-rara.com/supportEXPLORE: The full Opera Rara catalogue: https://opera-rara.com/shopcatalogueFOLLOW Opera Rara:YouTubeInstagramX / TwitterFacebookLinkedInBlueSkySupportersThis season of Lives in Song has been made possible by the generous support ofAndrea Pessino, Opera Rara's 2024-25 season Donizetti Songs Supporter and the Opera Rara Donizetti Syndicate.The Donizetti Song Project is supported by the Colwinston Charitable Trust and the Cockayne Grants for the Arts at the London Community Foundation. Opera Rara's work is only made possible by the support of our loyal family of donors and listeners.For more information about supporting Opera Rara, please visit opera-rara.com/support.CreditsLives in Song is produced for Opera Rara by Creative Kin.Output Editor: Jason CaffreyProducer: Milly MarchExecutive Producer: Zachary Vanderburg
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