DONIZETTI, GAETA xo ( 1 707 1848). An Italian operatie eomposer, born at Bergamo. lie studied at the local under Simon Slay r, Salari, and Gonzalez, and later at Bologna. In 1 8 I 0 his first opera. Enrico di Borgogna, won success at Venice. and he there after wrote about three operas at year. lie mas tered so perfectly the style of Ito:sini, then reign ing supreme, as to rival the 'Swan of Pesaro' him self. Then liellini appeared and threatened to eclipse him. Donizetti took partienlar pains with his Anna Bolena ( 1830), which was pre sented at Milan on the same night. as Bellini's Sonnambola. This marked the beginning of more serious work on his part. L'Elisir d'Amore (1S32), a comic opera, and the tragic Luerezia Borgia (1834) and Lucia di Lammermoor ( 1835) were his next particular successes. l'pon the death of Bellini he remained the undisputed mas ter of the Italian stage, and was eagerly ac claimed all over Europe. Ile settled in Paris ( 18351 and began to write for the French stage. La fill(' do r('aiment (1840) had enormous suc cess at the OpOra Comique: Les martyrs (for bidden by the censor in Italy as Poliato) and La farorita were both given in Paris the same year, and Don Pasquale, a comic opera, in 1S43. In
1 842 Linda di Chamounix created a furore in Vienna. and the Emperor showered honors upon him. Amid this unexampled series of successes and honors his mind pave way, and the last four years of his life he was insane. A great festival was hold in Donizetti': honor at Bergamo) on the one hundredth anniversary of his birth, and a monument was erected there in 1S55. The facil ity of his pen was astounding,: the fourth act of La farorita was composed in a tavern while he was waiting for a friend, and both music and liberetto of 11 ('ampanrllo di None were written within nine days. With this facility he combined an endless flow of. melody and a genuine dramatic talent, applied to only rarely. The fourth act of La fa corita and the famous sex let of Lucia di Lammermoor (his masterpiece) are splendid specimens of ninsico-dramatie writing combined with melodic beauty. In his Politic operas. as, (•.g. bon Pa squnlc, Lu fillr 710 r(yliment, he ex hibits an excellent cootie vein, and the music is light and sparkling. in all he wrote about sev enty operas. Consult : Ciceonetti, Vitadi G. Dosii zeta ( [tonic, ; Ferris. Great Ainsiell/ Com posers (New York. 1 887).