Domenico Gaetano Maria Donizetti
(29 November 1797 – 8 April 1848) was … Read Full Bio ↴Domenico Gaetano Maria Donizetti
(29 November 1797 – 8 April 1848) was a famous Italian opera composer. His most famous work is Lucia di Lammermoor (1835). Along with Vincenzo Bellini and Gioacchino Rossini, he was a leading composer of bel canto opera.
Donizetti composed about 75 operas, 16 symphonies, 19 string quartets, 193 songs, 45 duets, 3 oratorios, 28 cantatas, instrumental concertos, sonatas, and other chamber pieces.

He was born in Bergamo into a very poor family with no tradition of music, but in 1806 he was one of the first pupils to be enrolled in a charity school at Bergamo founded by Simon Mayr.

Donizetti is best known for his operatic works, but he also wrote music in a number of other forms, including some church music, a number of string quartets, and some orchestral works.

He is also the younger brother of Giuseppe Donizetti, who had become, in 1828, Instructor General of the Imperial Ottoman Music at the court of Sultan Mahmud II (1808-1839).

Donizetti's vocal style enriched the Bel Canto tradition which Rossini and Bellini had made popular. These three composers are generally accepted as the primary exemplars of early 19th century Bel Canto writing.
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Operas

* Il Pigmalione (1816; 13.10.1960 Teatro Donizetti, Bergamo)
* Enrico di Borgogna (14.11.1818 Teatro San Luca, Venice)
* Una follia (17.12.1818 Teatro San Luca, Venice) (lost)
* Le nozze in villa (1821? Teatro Vecchio, Mantua)
* Il falegname di Livonia, ossia Pietro il grande (26.12.1819 Teatro San Samuele, Venice)
* Zoraïda di Granata (28.1.1822 Teatro Argentino, Rome)
* La zingara (12.5.1822 Teatro Nuovo, Naples)
* La lettera anonima (29.6.1822 Teatro del Fondo, Naples)
* Chiara e Serafina, ossia I pirati (26.10.1822 Teatro alla Scala Milan)
* Alfredo il grande (2.7.1823 Teatro San Carlo, Naples)
* Il fortunato inganno (3.9.1823 Teatro Nuovo, Naples)
* Zoraïda di Granata [rev] (7.1.1824 Teatro Argentino, Rome)
* L'ajo nell'imbarazzo (4.2.1824 Teatro Valle, Rome)
* Emilia di Liverpool (28.7.1824 Teatro Nuovo, Naples) (L'eremitaggio di Liverpool)
* Alahor in Granata (7.1.1826 Teatro Carolino, Palermo)
* Don Gregorio [rev of L'ajo nell'imbarazzo] (11.6.1826 Teatro Nuovo, Naples)
* Elvida (6.7.1826 Teatro San Carlo, Naples)
* Gabriella di Vergy (1826; 29.11.1869 Teatro San Carlo, Naples) (Gabriella)

Gaetano Donizetti

* Olivo e Pasquale (7.1.1827 Teatro Valle, Rome)
* Olivo e Pasquale [rev] (1.9.1827 Teatro Nuovo, Naples)
* Otto mesi in due ore (13.5.1827 Teatro Nuovo, Naples) (Gli esiliati in Siberia)
* Il borgomastro di Saardam (19.8.1827 Teatro del Fondo, Naples)
* Le convenienze teatrali (21.11.1827 Teatro Nuovo, Naples)
* L'esule di Roma, ossia Il proscritto (1.1.1828 Teatro San Carlo, Naples)
* Emilia di Liverpool [rev] (8.3.1828 Teatro Nuovo, Naples)
* Alina, regina di Golconda (12.5.1828 Teatro Carlo Felice, Genoa)
* Gianni di Calais (2.8.1828 Teatro del Fondo, Naples)
* Il paria (12.1.1829 Teatro San Carlo, Naples)
* Il giovedi grasso (26.2.1829? Teatro del Fondo, Naples) (Il nuovo Pourceaugnac)
* Il castello di Kenilworth (6.7.1829 Teatro San Carlo, Naples)
* Alina, regina di Golconda [rev] (10.10.1829 Teatro Valle, Rome)
* I pazzi per progetto (6.2.1830 Teatro San Carlo, Naples)
* Il diluvio universale (28.2.1830 Teatro San Carlo, Naples)

Gaetano Donizetti

* Imelda de Lambertazzi (5.9.1830 Teatro San Carlo, Naples)
* Anna Bolena (26.12.1830 Teatro Carcano, Milan)
* Le convenienze ed inconvenienze teatrali [rev of Le convenienze teatrali] (20.4.1831 Teatro Canobbiana, Milan)
* Gianni di Parigi (1831; 10.9.1839 Teatro alla Scala Milan)
* Francesca di Foix (30.5.1831 Teatro San Carlo, Naples)
* La romanziera e l'uomo nero (18.6.1831 Teatro del Fondo, Naples) (libretto lost)
* Fausta (12.1.1832 Teatro San Carlo, Naples)
* Ugo, conte di Parigi (13.3.1832 Teatro alla Scala Milan)
* L'elisir d'amore (12.5.1832 Teatro Canobbiana, Milan)
* Sancia di Castiglia (4.11.1832 Teatro San Carlo, Naples)
* Il furioso all'isola di San Domingo (2.1.1833 Teatro Valle, Rome)
* Otto mesi in due ore [rev] (1833, Livorno)
* Parisina (17.3.1833 Teatro della Pergola, Florence)
* Torquato Tasso (9.9.1833 Teatro Valle, Rome)
* Lucrezia Borgia (26.12.1833 Teatro alla Scala Milan)
* Il diluvio universale [rev] (17.1.1834 Teatro Carlo Felice, Genoa)
* Rosmonda d'Inghilterra (27.2.1834 Teatro della Pergola, Florence)
* Maria Stuarda [rev] (18.10.1834 Teatro San Carlo, Naples) (Buondelmonte)
* Gemma di Vergy (26.10.1834 Teatro alla Scala Milan)
* Maria Stuarda (30.12.1835 Teatro alla Scala Milan)
* Marin Faliero (12.3.1835 Théâtre-Italien, Paris)
* Lucia di Lammermoor (26.9.1835 Teatro San Carlo, Naples)
* Belisario (4.2.1836 Teatro La Fenice, Venice)
* Il campanello di notte (1.6.1836 Teatro Nuovo, Naples)
* Betly, o La capanna svizzera (21.8.1836 Teatro Nuovo, Naples)
* L'assedio di Calais (19.11.1836 Teatro San Carlo, Naples)
* Pia de' Tolomei (18.2.1837 Teatro Apollo, Venice)
* Pia de' Tolomei [rev] (31.7.1837, Sinigaglia)
* Betly [rev] ((?) 29.9.1837 Teatro del Fondo, Naples)
* Roberto Devereux (28.10.1837 Teatro San Carlo, Naples)
* Maria de Rudenz (30.1.1838 Teatro La Fenice, Venice)
* Gabriella di Vergy [rev] (1838; 8.1978 recording, London)
* Poliuto (1838; 30.11.1848 Teatro San Carlo, Naples)
* Pia de' Tolomei [rev 2] (30.9.1838 Teatro San Carlo, Naples)
* Lucie de Lammermoor [rev of Lucia di Lammermoor] (6.8.1839 Théâtre de la Rennaisance, Paris)
* Le duc d'Albe (1839; 22.3.1882 Teatro Apollo, Rome) (Il duca d'Alba)
* Lucrezia Borgia [rev] (11.1.1840 Teatro alla Scala Milan)
* Poliuto [rev] (10.4.1840 Opéra, Paris) (Les martyrs)
* La fille du régiment (11.2.1840 Opéra-Comique, Paris)
* L'ange de Nisida (1839; ?)
* Lucrezia Borgia [rev 2] (31.10.1840 Théâtre-Italien, Paris)
* La favorite [rev of L'ange de Nisida] (2.12.1840 Opéra, Paris)
* Adelia (11.2.1841 Teatro Apollo, Rome)
* Rita, ou Le mari battu (1841; 7.5.1860 Opéra-Comique, Paris) (Deux hommes et une femme)
* Maria Padilla (26.12.1841 Teatro alla Scala Milan)
* Linda di Chamounix (19.5.1842 Kärntnertortheater, Vienna)
* Linda di Chamounix [rev] (17.11.1842 Théâtre-Italien, Paris)
* Caterina Cornaro (18.1.1844 Teatro San Carlo, Naples)
* Don Pasquale (3.1.1843 Théâtre-Italien, Paris)
* Maria di Rohan (5.6.1843 Kärntnertortheater, Vienna)
* Dom Sébastien (13.11.1843 Opéra, Paris)
* Dom Sébastien [rev] (6.2.1845 Kärntnertortheater, Vienna)

Amor marinaro
Gaetano Donizetti Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Me voglio fa' 'na casa 'miez' 'o mare
fravecata de penne de pavune,
tralla la le la tralla la la la.

D'oro e d'argiento li scaline fare
e de prete preziuse li barcune
tralla la le la tralla la la la.

Quanno Nannella mia se va 'affacciare

ognuno dice mò sponta lu sole
tralla la le la tralla la la la.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Gaetano Donizetti's song "Amor marinaro" tell the story of a man who dreams of building a house in the middle of the sea, made of peacock feathers and adorned with stairs of gold and silver. He envisions precious boats docked at his doorstep. The man imagines his beloved Nannella standing at the window, and when she leans out, the sun shines brighter on the sea, illuminating everything around him. The man is enchanted by the sea and desires to live a life of luxury with his lover by his side, away from the traditional constraints of society.

Overall, the lyrics reflect themes of escapism, wealth, and love. The desire to escape societal norms and live a luxurious life on the sea, reflects a common romanticized vision that many people have of living a free, unencumbered life. The image of Nannella standing at the window and the sun shining brightly is symbolic of the joy and happiness that love can bring, even in the most unconventional of settings.

Amor marinaroGaetano Donizetti Lyrics

Amor marinaro
Gaetano Donizetti Lyrics