Donizetti

(don-i-tset'-ti), Gaetano, compr b. Bergamo, Nov. 29, 1797; d there, Apr. 8, 1848. Father, a weaver, wished him to be lawyer or teacher; studied Naples Cons, with Mayr, and at Bologna Liceo: to escape demands of father entered army; composed first opera in quarters at Vemce; his fourth Zoraiae di Granata won him exemption from fuither service; after senes of succe ful but imitative operas, com- )sed Anna Bolena 1830, for Pasta, Kubini, and Lablache; Elisir d* armore 1832, Lucrczia Borgia 1833, Lucia di Lammer moor 1835 followed; director Naples Cons. 1837; left Milan angered by judgment of censor against Poliuto; went to Pans, where were produced La file du regiment La favor it a Linda di Chamounix, Don Pasquale; stncken with paralysis 1845, from which he never recovered. He wrote in all about 67 operas, many merely imitative of his contemporaries Bellmi and Ro ini, some distinguished by great onginality of melody and skilful composition of concerted numbers; Lucia probably the most famous and the one that is now most often given, largely because of famous sextet.