Donizetti wrote around 200 solo songs over his 30-year career, many of which were thought lost or completely unknown until recent research.
Composition History
A significant collection of Donizetti's manuscript material, including about 20 previously unobtainable songs, was discovered in the Musikarchiv of Kremsmünster Abbey in Austria.
Historical Context
Donizetti's songs make a strong case for the importance of the Italian 'school' in 19th-century domestic music-making, a field often dominated by German and French composers.
Composition History
Many of Donizetti's previously unknown songs were found in a single manuscript copy, often hastily written or incomplete, with sources dispersed across European libraries.
Compositional Technique
Donizetti's songs range from extreme simplicity to complex and experimental pieces, showcasing a huge variety within his collection.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Donizetti often revised his songs, sometimes completely rewriting earlier compositions, suggesting he rarely considered a work 'finished' and was inspired by new performers.
Composition History
Opera Rara's Donizetti song project is their largest single undertaking in over 50 years, aiming to present nearly 200 songs, many previously unrecorded.
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