Donizetti Sets Eyes on Vienna – “Monseigneur le duc de Bretagne” cover art

Donizetti Sets Eyes on Vienna – “Monseigneur le duc de Bretagne”

Donizetti Sets Eyes on Vienna – “Monseigneur le duc de Bretagne”

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 In the final episode of our season on Gaetano Donizetti, we trace the last chapter of the composer's life. Our Host Flora Willson and Opera Rara’s Repertory Consultant, Prof. Roger Parker, follow Donizetti from the vibrant salons of Paris to the prestigious musical world of Vienna, a move that would profoundly reshape his artistic style. This period of creative evolution, however, was tragically cut short by a devastating illness that would lead to his final, painful years.Together, we explore the powerful, complex, and surprisingly modern music Donizetti was composing in this late period, focusing on his 1843 masterpiece, La fiancée du timbalier – a dramatic and fragmented setting of a Victor Hugo poem.To round off the season, we're joined by a special guest, Martin Cullingford, editor of Gramophone magazine, to discuss Donizetti's legacy and the journey of this podcast.Opera Rara's unique mission is to bring forgotten works like these back to the stage and the studio. If you've enjoyed this journey into opera history, please visit our website to discover how you can support our work and help us share these stories with the world."It's extremely, extremely modern. You might almost say it's sort of protomodernist in some ways, that it's about fragmentation." - Prof. Roger ParkerChapters:00:00 Donizetti’s Final Chapter: From Paris to Vienna04:22 A New European Sound: Donizetti's Viennese Style07:11 The Preludio to Caterina Cornaro09:41 A Sad Decline: Donizetti's Final Illness13:25 Setting Victor Hugo: La fiancée du timbalier17:15 The Drummer's Bride: La fiancée du timbalier Part 120:18 A Social Networker: How Donizetti Used Music as a Gift23:19 Modern & Fragmented: La fiancée du timbalier Part 225:47 After the Curtain Falls: The Battle for Donizetti's Manuscripts29:43 Special Guest Finale with Martin Cullingford (Gramophone)33:48 Ask Opera Rara: What’s Next for Lives in Song?Get 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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