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Belisario. Gaetano Donizetti

2006; Oxford University Press; Volume: 22; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1093/oq/kbi083

1476-2870

Richard Baxter,

Theater, Performance, and Music History

Composed at the height of Donizetti’s career, Belisario followed Lucia di Lammermoor. Salvatore Cammarano’s libretto focuses on a Byzantine general brought down by his wife, who believes he has caused the death of their son. After returning in triumph to Byzantium, Belisario is charged with filicide and blinded before he is sent into exile with his daughter, Irene. After he encounters the son he thought he had slain, the blind general leads the Byzantine forces in battle but sustains a mortal wound. Before he dies, Antonina confesses her guilt in a final scena of remorse and anguish. Donizetti fashioned a score filled with dashing military marches and festive music. He gave Antonina an imposing entrance aria—commercially recorded by Montserrat Caballé—and a great scena finale. The first-act duet for Belisario and his son contains music of interest but proves inferior to the extended duet for the general and his loyal daughter in the second act, which unfolds in contrasting sections filled with melodic pathos.