BELLINI, Vincenzo. – Musician, born in Catania on 10 Nov. 1801, died at Puteaux (Paris) on 24 Sept. 1835. Son of an organist, he studied at the college of S. Sebastiano in Naples, directed by Zingarelli who was his teacher. After the performance of Adelson e Salvini (1825) in the college’s small theatre, he was commissioned by the noted impresario Barbaja to write for the Teatro S. Carlo Bianca e Fernando (1826), which met with favourable reception, and for La Scala in Milan Il Pirata (1827), which achieved great success. Settling in this city, he continued his activity as an opera composer: La Straniera (Milan 1829) met with less success and Zaira (Parma 1829) was a clear failure, but
Bellini, Vincenzo – Portrait with autograph signature, engraving by F. di Bartolo.
popular favour returned with I Capuleti e i Montecchi (Venice 1830) and especially with La Sonnambula (Milan 1831) and with Norma (Milan 1831), although the latter received a cool reception on its first night. After the failure of Beatrice di Tenda (Venice 1833), he wrote and produced in Paris his last opera I Puritani (1835). Notable also is his output in the field of church music, which includes numerous Tantum ergo, several Salve Regina, a Credo, a Te Deum, a Magnificat, two Masses with Vespers and a Missa de gloria.