DONIZETTI, Gaetano 1797-1848

La Favorita [Solo piano]

Opera in quattro atti ...

Napoli: Regio Stabilimento Musicale di Teodoro Cottrau [PNs 5207-13, 5336-49], [ca. 1855].

Oblong octavo. Green cloth-backed marbled boards. 1f. (title), 3-92 pp. Engraved.

Endpapers watermarked with an anchor and "Alfonso Am [...]", "La Briglia." Blindstamp of Cottrau to title.

From the collection of Luigi Ricci (1893-1981), Italian conductor, vocal coach, and close associate of Puccini and Mascagni.

Binding slightly rubbed. Light browning to edges; occasional light foxing.

First Edition of this arrangement, later issue. Inzaghi IN. 67, p. 188.

La Favorite, to a libretto by Alphonse Royer and Gustave Vaëz with additions by Eugène Scribe, was first performed at the Paris Opéra on 2 December 2 1840.

Donizetti used his earlier unperformed opera L’ange de Nisida as the basis for La Favorite, talhough the plots are considerably different. The original French version became a standard in Paris, performed regularly at the Opéra until 1918. It is now widely regarded as one of Donzietti's best operas, with considerable attention given to the fourth act.

"In spite of its mixture of sources, La favorite must rank among Donizetti's best works, although it slips from its high standard in a few instances, such as the merely efficient ballet music." Ashbrook, p. 447.

Item #33416

Price: $65.00  other currencies