Lives in Song is Opera Rara’s new Opera Insider series exploring musicians’ biographies through their music. In this first series, join our hosts Flora Willson and Roger Parker, as they put the music of prolific composer Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848) under the microscope and tell the story of his life through some of the songs he composed.

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Flora and Roger take us to Paris in the 1830s and 1840s. After relocating to Paris, Donizetti became involved in the thriving salon culture in the city. During this time, Donizetti enjoyed a flirtatious relationship with Zélie de Coussy, the wife of an influential Parisian banker, and even dedicated an entire album of songs to her.

In this YouTube livestream, Flora and Roger share extracts from two such songs, one of which was later reworked into an aria for Donizetti’s opera La Fille du régiment, one of his greatest Parisian successes. They also explore Donizetti’s later operas and the influence French culture had on his style.

Streamed live on Opera Rara’s YouTube channel. Register to receive email ​reminders and a link to the show notes following the stream.