Porta la notizia al povero Duca e la Duchessa,
a cui farai le mie condoglianze, e salutali
da mia parte =
Mio caro Florimo
Eccomi uscito di palpiti. nel \nei/ quattro palchi laterali, con tutte le bellezze Genovesi e forestiere in gran sfoggio la musica ed i cantanti fecero l’effetto suscettibile di questa occasione; ma pure quei pezzi in cui sperava, davano dei lembi d’effetto; tanto che il publico rimase molto contento specialmente del 2:do atto; ed
Il tuo Bellini
che t’ama
Salutami Perugini e tutti i miei compagni
Al Sig:r D:n Francesco Florimo
nel real Collegio di Musica
in
Napoli
t.p. Genova […] - […]
31
9.
Genoa, [9 April] 1828
Vincenzo Bellini to Francesco Florimo. Letter.
Aut. I-Nc, Rari 1.9.10 (41). One bifolio, three sides plus address on the verso.
Ed. Florimo 1882, pp. 322-324; Cambi 1943, pp. 75-78; Neri 2005, pp. 61-63.
Relay this news to the poor Duca and Duchessa, with my condolences and my greetings -
My dear Florimo
Here I am, my heart pounding with joy because the opera made just the impression I wanted. The first evening — in a new, brightly illuminated theatre, before all of the court in the great center box with other members of the aristocracy in the four lateral boxes, before the best of Genoese society and beyond all in lovely and lavish display — the music and the singers rose to the grand occasion. Those pieces that seemed most promising left a lingering impression on the public, who were especially pleased with the second act, and the King sent one of his chamberlains to thank the maestro and the singers, saying that he was sorry he could not applaud in public. Yesterday evening however he kept his word, reserving his applause for the one time permitted by court etiquette in the theatre of Turin for the duetto in the second act, which they performed magnificently well, and he followed the remainder of the music without turning his gaze away even once from the singers, all of whom he found equally and immensely pleasing. Yesterday Tosi sang a hundred times better than she had for the premiere, as did David and Tamburini. My enemies began talking rubbish already from the first evening, but after the King's applause they changed their tune by saying that Bellini's music requires multiple hearings to be appreciated, like Il pirata in Milan. Anyone with common sense, however, understands that when there is no applause people can draw whatever conclusions they want, having no outward sign of general approval to contradict the slander, and if the King had not applauded all of our enemies would have insisted that the opera was a fiasco. Yesterday evening the public clearly enjoyed the three major pieces in the first act, but their silence throughout the second act seemed particularly intimidating for the singers, and my heart skipped a beat out of fear that the singers and orchestra would commit some mistake (of which there were more than a few the first evening). The orchestra is especially horrible; they followed me fairly well, but they make a great mess of things when conducted by the first violinist, who is good but not very experienced. All of Genoa is wild about everything but the theatre's admission prices, which are 28 francs for a single seat and eight for standing room. - I've now begun to receive a host of invitations from the local gentry. Yesterday I dined at the home of Marchesa Doria, the sister of the Duchessina Litta of Milan, tomorrow I'm going to see Sig. Pavesi, and I have open invitations from the Marchese de Negro and the Marchesa Lomellini to visit them at my convenience, etc. etc.
Since I chose to retain publication rights for the new pieces, I'll have them printed together with the publisher, paying slightly more than a third of the costs and dividing the profit proportionally, from which I hope to make a considerable sum. I've also reserved the right to dedicate these pieces — the three cavatinas, two scene, chorus, and sinfonia — as I choose. You might ask Cottrau whether he would be so kind as to sell the copies I'll be sending you in his shop, offering him the usual commission on retail if you see fit. - For the moment I'll stop here, but in fifteen days I'll decide whether or not I should return to Milan, because the air is better for me there than here. - I must go off now and write a million letters for Milan and my family, etc. - Share this with Sig. Zingarelli, Crescentini, the Headmaster, the Andreani family, and all of our friends who will relish the news, and let our enemies know so that they can eat their hearts out. Farewell my dear Florimo, remember me fondly, and pray to God that fortune continues to be my guide. - I still don't know where I'll be engaged for Carnival — not Naples, where I would never go for all the gold in the world. I prefer Venice, but they still have no impresario. Enough, let fortune take its course. Be happy, my dear, and leave behind the anxiety you suffered for this latest outcome. Farewell.
Your most affectionate
Bellini
My salutations to Perugini and all of my companions
To Sig. Don Francesco Florimo
in the Real Collegio di Musica
in
Naples
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