In 1837, the death of Gaetano Donizetti’s beloved wife Virginia sent him into a profound crisis, prompting him to leave Italy for Paris. This tragic turning point also marked a new direction in his music, which became darker, more harmonically complex, and emotionally charged.

In this episode, host Flora Willson is joined by opera scholar Roger Parker to investigate this pivotal period.

We contrast the extreme, gothic violence of his opera Maria de Rudenz with the subtle, melancholic beauty of his salon song, ‘Amore e morte’ – Love and Death.

Along the way, we explore the 19th century’s cultural obsession with “cult of death” and reveal the story behind the star tenor nicknamed “the tenor of the beautiful death.”

It’s a fascinating look at how personal grief and cultural trends can shape great art.

“The tenor… was known as il tenore della bella morte, the tenor of the beautiful death. So, he specialised in death scenes… He did a good stagger, you know, and all those kind of things.” – Roger Parker