Editing Vincenzo Bellini (section)

===Naples, Sicily, Bergamo: January to September 1832===
[[File:Theater Vittorio Emanuelle before 1908.jpg|thumb|Teatro della Munizione, Messina (as known in the early 19th century)]]
Bellini traveled to Naples, although he may have stopped in Rome to see Giuditta Turina and her brother Gaetano Cantù. However, the sister and brother also went to Naples where Giuditta was finally able to meet Florimo and see the city in which Bellini had triumphed. Within six days, Bellini was in Naples where he remained for six weeks.

During that time he remained busy, spending some time with Turina (who was ill for part of it), visiting the conservatory and meeting with many of the students and his old teacher, [[Niccolò Antonio Zingarelli|Zingarelli]] (to whom he had dedicated ''Norma''),{{sfn|Galatopoulos|2002|p=248}} and attending a performance of ''Capuleti'' at the San Carlo with Turina and Florimo on 5 February in the presence of King Ferdinand II. The King led the applause for the composer, resulting in his being called to the stage and thus enjoying a very warm welcome from the people of Naples.<ref>Report in the ''Giornali delle Due Sicilie'', 7 February 1832</ref>

Planning to leave Naples by 25 February, he dealt with the invitation from Lanari at La Fenice to compose for that house by stating that he would not work for less than the sum received from the last production, and that he was also in discussions with the San Carlo. Arriving in Messina along with Florimo on the morning of 27 February, Bellini was greeted by several members of his family including his father. They remained in Messina for two days, attending a performance of ''Il pirata'' at the Teatro della Munizione, where he was greeted with "loud shouts of pleasure, hand-clapping, and words of praise".<ref>''L'Osservatore peloritano'', 27 February 1832, in {{harvnb|Weinstock|1971|pp=113–114}}</ref>

Bellini arrived in Catania on 3 March to a civic welcome. He was greeted by the city's authorities and citizens who also feted him at a concert the following evening. This included excerpts from ''La sonnambula'' and ''Il pirata'' at the Teatro Communale, now replaced by the [[Teatro Massimo Bellini]] which was opened in 1890 and named in Bellini's honour.<ref name=GALLA252>{{harvnb|Galatopoulos|2002|pp=252–255}}</ref> After a month, Bellini and Florimo left for Palermo where, once again, there was a "royal welcome" and where he made the acquaintance of Filippo Santocanale and his wife. Although weather delayed their departure for Naples, they continued to spend an enjoyable time there, but Bellini was anxious to return to Naples before Easter and to be with Giuditta Turina, who had remained in that city.<ref name=GALLA252/> They reached Naples on 25 April where he was reunited with Turina.

Upon his arrival, Bellini wrote to his new friend Santocanale in Palermo, telling him that he would be accepting a contract from La Fenice<ref>Bellini to Santocanale, 28 April 1832, in {{harvnb|Weinstock|1971|p=118}}</ref> so the issue had resurfaced in the form of a contract from Lanari which appeared to have accepted the composer's terms. But he had forgotten how much he had demanded: writing to Giuditta Pasta's husband, Giuseppe, he asked for the letter he had written to him (in which he had revealed the terms offered) to be sent to him to await his arrival in Florence.<ref>Bellini to Giuseppe Pasta, 28 April 1828, in {{harvnb|Weinstock|1971|p=118}}</ref>
[[File:Teatro della Pergola.JPG|thumb|right|Foyer of the Teatro della Pergola, after redecoration in the 1850s]]
When returning to Naples, the couple reached Rome on 30 April. There is speculation that, when there, Bellini composed a one-act opera, ''Il fu ed il sarà'' (''The Past and the Present'') for a private performance (which was supposedly not given until 1832), but little further information—nor any of the music—has been forthcoming.{{sfn|Galatopoulos|2002|pp=254–255}} It appears that the couple (along with Giuditta's brother) left for Florence on or around 20 May traveling by private coach and that he attended what he described as "a quite unrecognisable" performance of ''La sonnumbula'' at the [[Teatro della Pergola]]. In the same letter, Bellini informed his publisher that: "I have arranged the contract with Lanari to compose the opera for Venice; there I'll have the divine Pasta, and on the same terms as the contract with La Scala for ''Norma''".<ref>Bellini to Ricordi, 24 May 1832, in {{harvnb|Galatopoulos|2002|p=256}}</ref> He continues by stating that, in addition, he will receive one hundred per cent of the rental rights of the scores.

Within a few days, Bellini was in Milan, from there writing to his friend Santocanale in Palermo that "I'm&nbsp;... trying to find a good subject for my new opera for Venice. In August, I shall go to Bergamo for the production of my ''Norma'' with Pasta."<ref name=NORM-BOL>Bellini to Santocanale, 1 July 1832, {{harvnb|Galatopoulos|2002|pp=256–257}}</ref> From Bergamo, he wrote to Romani, excited to tell him that:
<blockquote>Our ''Norma'' is decidedly a great success. If you heard how it's performed in Bergamo, you'd almost think that it was a new work&nbsp;... [Pasta] even moves me. In fact, I wept [with] the emotions I felt in my soul. I wanted you near me so that I could have these emotions with you, my good advisor and collaborator, because you alone understand me. My glory is intrinsic to yours.<ref>Bellini to Ricordi, 2 August 1832, in {{harvnb|Galatopoulos|2002|pp=256–257}}</ref></blockquote>

After the successful production in Bergamo, which was favourably reviewed by the same writer from the ''Gazzetta privilegiata di Milano'' who was not enthusiastic about the original Milan production, Bellini spent a few days with Turina, and then, by mid-September, had returned to Milan anxious to meet Romani to decide on the subject for the following February's opera for La Fenice for which a contract had become official. In addition, it had been agreed that the new opera would be preceded by performances of ''Norma'' and that they would open the season.