Editing Vincenzo Bellini (section)

==Catania: early life==
[[File:Vincenzo Bellini-Catania birthplace c1800.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Bellini's birthplace, the [[Palazzo Gravina-Cruyllas]], Catania, circa 1800]]
Born in [[Catania]], at the time part of the [[Kingdom of Sicily]], the eldest<ref name=Weinstock1>{{harvnb|Weinstock|1971|loc="1801–1819" pp. 4–13}}</ref> of seven children in the family, he became a child prodigy within a highly musical family. His grandfather, {{ill|Vincenzo Tobia Nicola Bellini|it}}, had studied at the [[Music Conservatories of Naples|conservatory in Naples]] and, in Catania from 1767 forward, had been an organist and teacher, as had Vincenzo's father, Rosario.<ref name=L&M1/>

An anonymous twelve-page hand-written history, held in Catania's [[Museo Civico Belliniano]], states that he could sing an aria by [[Valentino Fioravanti]] at eighteen months, that he began studying [[music theory]] at two years of age and the piano at three.<ref>{{harvnb|Weinstock|1971|pp=5–6}} refers to "an anonymous précis of his life, twelve handwritten pages" held in Catania's Museo Belliniaro</ref> By the age of five, he could apparently play "marvelously".<ref>Quoted by {{harvnb|Lippmann|McGuire|1998|p=389}}, which also references the anonymous précis.</ref> The document states that Bellini's first five pieces were composed when he was just six years old and "at seven he was taught Latin, modern languages, rhetoric, and philosophy".<ref name=L&M1/> Bellini's biographer [[Herbert Weinstock]] regards some of these accounts as no more than myths, not being supported from other, more reliable sources. Additionally, he makes the point in regard to Bellini's apparent knowledge of languages and philosophy: "Bellini never became a well-educated man".<ref name=Weinstock1/>

Another biographer, Stelios Galatopoulos,<ref>[[John Steane]], [https://reader.exacteditions.com/issues/31688/page/98 Review of Galatopoulos' ''Bellini Life, Times, Music''], ''[[Gramophone (magazine)|Gramophone]]'', September 2002, p. 98: "will remain the standard major work in English for years to come."</ref> discusses the information presented in the précis and accepts some of the evidence for early compositions but expresses skepticism regarding the young Bellini's child prodigy status.{{sfn|Galatopoulos|2002|pp=15–23}} He mentions that Bellini never became a "proficient" piano player and, when he later went to the music conservatory in Naples at an age well past that required for admission and took an examination in which his compositions were assessed, he was placed in the beginners' class.{{sfn|Galatopoulos|2002|p=23}}

After 1816, Bellini began living with his grandfather, from whom he received his first music lessons. Soon after, the young composer began to write compositions. Among them were the nine ''Versetti da cantarsi il Venerdi Santo'', eight of which were based on texts by [[Metastasio]].

By 1818 Bellini had independently completed several additional orchestral pieces and at least two settings of the [[Mass (music)|Mass Ordinary]]: one in D Major, the other in G Major, both of which survive and have been commercially recorded.

He was ready for further study. For well-off students, this would include moving to Naples. While his family wasn't wealthy enough to support that lifestyle, Bellini's growing reputation could not be overlooked. His break came when Stefano Notabartolo, the duca di San Martino e Montalbo and his duchess, became the new [[intendente]] of the province of Catania. They encouraged the young man to petition the city fathers for a stipend to support his musical studies. This was successfully achieved in May 1819 with unanimous agreement for a four-year pension to allow him to study at the [[Music conservatories of Naples#Conservatorio di San Sebastiano|Real Collegio di Musica di San Sebastiano]] in Naples. Thus, he left Catania in July carrying letters of introduction to several powerful individuals, including Giovanni Carafa who was the ''intendente'' of the Real Collegio as well as being in charge of the city's royal theatres. The young Bellini was to live in Naples for the following eight years.{{sfn|Weinstock|1971|p=12}}