To circumvent Victor Hugo's injunction, Lucrezia Borgia was performed under various new names, including Elisa da Fosco and Giovanna I di Napoli.
Recording & Production
This recording of Lucrezia Borgia was made live at the Teatro Donizetti in Bergamo, Italy, as part of the Bergamo Music Festival dedicated to the composer's works.
Historical Context
Victor Hugo, the author of the play Lucrèce Borgia, took out an injunction in 1840 to forbid further performances of the opera under its original title.
Composition History
Donizetti's opera Lucrezia Borgia was inspired by Victor Hugo's successful play Lucrèce Borgia, which premiered in Paris in 1833.
Composition History
Donizetti made changes to Lucrezia Borgia seven years after its premiere, removing Lucrezia's closing aria and composing a new final air for the dying Gennaro.
Critical Reception
The premiere of Lucrezia Borgia was not an immediate success due to issues with the lead singers, but subsequent performances with other artists were better received.
Composer Biography
Gaetano Donizetti was a prolific composer, with Lucrezia Borgia being the 31st of his 55 operas composed between 1816 and 1843.
