April’s Composer of the Month is Vincenzo Bellini

For the month of April, we’re celebrating Vincenzo Bellini. Adelson e Salvini, Bellini’s first opera, is discounted 20% for the month as well as all digital downloads of our Bellini recordings. Follow us on our social media channels for insights into this composer’s works and Opera Rara’s recordings.

Born in 1801 in Catania, Sicily, to a family already steeped in music; his father and grandfather were both career musicians, Bellini began composing before receiving any formal music education.

He entered the Royal College of Music of San Sebastiano, now the Naples Conservatory, in 1819 and became a primo maestrino in 1824. The conservatory’s students performed Bellini’s first opera, Adelson e Salvini and after the initial performance in February 1825 it was performed repeatedly throughout the year. This particular work was never performed outside of the conservatory, but served as a source of material for at least five other operas Bellini composed.  Read more and see our Bellini recordings here…