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)

Siegfried: Act II
Gaetano Donizetti Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(Eustachio, sulla porta).

DARLEMONT
Lei venga avanti.

EUSTACHIO
Mille salve a tutti quanti. Darlemont?..

DARLEMONT
Se il brama è qua.
Ma il suo nome, il suo casato?

EUSTACHIO
Don Eustachio Brodolosi:
un dottor de' più famosi della vecchia e nuova età.

TUTTI

Donde diamine è sbucato!
Ha del goffo in verità.

Overall Meaning

In this scene from Gaetano Donizetti's opera "Siegfried," the character Eustachio is introducing letters and pills that have been sent to him by wealthy and noble individuals who have found great value in his specific remedies for various ailments. He presents these letters and pills to the other characters as evidence of his immense worth and the effectiveness of his treatments. He boasts about the prince of Trachia who has erected a statue in Eustachio's honor, as well as the recognition and praise he has received from figures like Esculapio, the lady Colica, and the new Hippocrates. Eustachio also mentions other individuals, such as Count Figaro, Count Sfrittola, Jokò the banker, and Barbleu the merchant, who have provided him with commendations.

Cristina, one of the other characters, is amazed at Eustachio's quick and confident speech, although she is unable to understand what he is saying. Determined not to be outdone, she asserts that she knows all of Alfieri's works by heart and is a skilled singer and dancer. She emphasizes that she is not crazy and declares her ability to sing the works of Tasso and Alfieri.

Darlemont, another character, is overwhelmed by Eustachio's and Cristina's outbursts and calls for a pause in the conversation, urging them to speak more calmly. Venanzio, yet another character, expresses his confusion, claiming that his head feels like a synagogue. He sarcastically remarks that the only thing missing is Eustachio's presence to make him curse.

Frank, a different character, also comments on the chaos of the situation, declaring that his head feels like a synagogue and remarking on the sharp and shrill voices and the persistent clamor.

The lyrics in this section of the opera contain humorous exchanges between the characters, showcasing their strong personalities and adding comic effect to the scene. Eustachio's self-praise and the reactions of the other characters contribute to the overall comedic tone of the moment.

Line by Line Meaning

Per me vi parlino le tante lettere
Let the many letters speak for me

che a voi dirigono patrizi e nobili
that are addressed to you by aristocrats and nobles

che in me trovarono per lungo spazio
who have found in me for a long time

un profondissimo, enorme merito
a profound, immense merit

pei miei specifici, contro i malefici
for my specific remedies against evil

e per le pillole, che senza iperbole
and for the pills, which without exaggeration

dan lungo vivere all'uman genere.
grant long life to humanity.

Signor, leggetele, eccole qua
Sir, read them, here they are

di Trachia il principe che a sua memoria
from the prince of Thrace, in his memory

terracquea statua mi fece erigere;
he had a terrestrial statue erected for me

più d'Esculapio qui m'alza e venera
he elevates and venerates me more than Esculapius

la dama Colica che m'ha nei visceri;
Lady Colic, who resides in my bowels;

qui, qui mi nomina il nuovo Ippocrate.
here, here the new Hippocrates mentions me.

Il conte Figaro qui ancor mi celebra, il conte Sfrittola qui m'alza e venera,
Count Figaro still celebrates me here, Count Sfrittola elevates and venerates me here,

Jokò il banchiere, Barbleu il mercante
Jokò the banker, Barbleu the merchant

e in tante e tante commendatizie
and in so many commendatory letters

col Suo sanissimo, anzi vastissimo, occhio acutissimo conoscerà
with His healthiest, or rather, vastest, most acute eye will recognize

quel don Eustachio che in ogni età...
that gift Eustachio who in every age...

terror dei medici sempre sarà.
will always be the terror of doctors.

(Parlata come questa soltanto la gran testa del sommo don Eustachio poteva scaricar.)
(Only the grand head of the great Don Eustachio could deliver a speech like this.)

(Parbleu! che lingua è questa!)
(Good Lord! What language is this!)

Com'è spedita e lesta!
How speedy and swift it is!

Ma non mi lascio vincere, la voglio superar .
But I won't be defeated, I want to surpass it.

(a Darlemont in fretta) Io so a memoria tutto l’Alfieri,
(to Darlemont in a hurry) I have Alfieri's whole works memorized,

io so a memoria tutto Molière:
I have Molière's whole works memorized:

io canto e ballo, quel non è povero.
I sing and dance, that's no small feat.

(segnando Venanzio) Io non son pazza. Io canto il Tasso,
(pointing to Venanzio) I'm not crazy. I sing Tasso,

io canto Alfieri. Io non son pazza...
I sing Alfieri. I'm not crazy...

(Di ciarle è una tempesta, sconvolta m'ha la testa!)
(What a storm of words, it's scrambled my mind!)

Ma pian, signori, pausa!
But wait, gentlemen, pause!

Più flemma nel parlar .
More calmness in speaking.

Non ho più testa in testa
I no longer have a head in my head