Vincenzo Bellini

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Vincenzo Salvatore Carmelo Francesco Bellini (November 3, 1801 – September 23, 1835) was an Italian opera composer. Known for his flowing melodic line, Bellini was the quintessential composer of Bel canto opera. Born in Catania, Sicily, Italy, Bellini was a child prodigy from a highly musical family and legend has it he could sing an air of Valentino Fioravanti at eighteen months, began studying music theory at two, the piano at three, and by the age of five could play well. His first composition dates from his sixth year. Regardless of the veracity of these claims, it is certain that Bellini grew up in a musical household and that a career as a musician was never in doubt. Having learned from his grandfather, Bellini left provincial Catania in June 1819 to study at the conservatory in Naples, with a stipend from the municipal government of Catania. By 1822 he was in the class of the director Nicolò Zingarelli, studying the masters of the Neapolitan school and the orchestral works of Haydn and Mozart. It was the custom at the Conservatory to introduce a promising student to the public with a dramatic work: the result was Bellini's first opera Adelson e Salvini an opera semiseria that was presented at the Conservatory's theater. Bianca e Gernando met with some success at the Teatro San Carlo, leading to an offer from the impresario Barbaia for an opera at La Scala. Il pirata was a resounding immediate success and began Bellini's faithful and fruitful collaboration with the l

top songs

albums

Bellini: Norma

Norma (disc 1)

Bellini: I puritani

Maria Callas Sings Bellini

Norma (Disc 3)

BELLINI: La Sonnambula

Norma

BELLINI: Puritani I (Callas, Di Stefano) (1953)

Il Pirata

Callas sings Arias from Tristano e Isotta, Norma & I puritani - Callas Remastered

I Capuleti e i Montecchi

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The Very Best of Maria Callas

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