Editing Vincenzo Bellini (section)

==Paris: August 1833 to January 1835==
[[File:Salle Favart (première salle).jpg|thumb|The Théâtre-Italien in 1829]]
When he arrived in Paris in mid-August 1833, Bellini had intended to stay only about three weeks, the main aim being to continue the negotiations with the Opéra which had begun on his way to London a few months earlier.<ref>Weinstein 1971, pp. 156–157</ref> While there was no agreement with Véron at the Opéra, the [[Comédie-Italienne#The Théâtre-Italien in the 19th century|Théâtre-Italien]] made him an offer which, Bellini notes, he accepted because "the pay was richer than what I had received in Italy up to then, though only by a little; then because of so magnificent a company; and finally so as to remain in Paris at others' expense."<ref>Bellini to Vincenzo Ferlito, 1 April 1835, in Walker 1971, p. 157{{incomplete short citation|date=December 2021}}; original source {{harvnb|Cambi|1943}}.</ref>

In fact, Éduard Robert and Carlo Severini of the ''Italien'' had written to the composer, offering a seat in their theatre during his stay in the city and telling him that Grisi, Unger, and Rubini would be singing ''Pirata'' in October and ''Capuleti'' in November. But with no definite arrangements having been made to compose for the Italian house—and Bellini essentially not wishing to proceed with an offer from Turin to stage ''Norma''—he settled into a new, small apartment. He wrote to Florimo, telling him about the lodgings and that he had written to Turina not to sell any of his furniture, but to send some of it to him.<ref>Bellini to Florimo, 4 September 1834, in {{harvnb|Weinstock|1971|p=158}}</ref>

Quickly, Bellini entered the fashionable world of the Parisian [[Salon (gathering)|salon]], most importantly that run by the Italian exile [[Cristina Trivulzio Belgiojoso|Princess Belgiojoso]] whom he had met in Milan and who "was by far the most overtly political of the salonnières".{{sfn|Smart|2010|p=51}} Her salon became a meeting place for Italian revolutionaries such as [[Vincenzo Gioberti]], [[Niccolò Tommaseo]], and [[Camillo Cavour]], and it was there that he would have most likely made the acquaintance of Count [[Carlo Pepoli]]. Others that Bellini would have met included [[Victor Hugo]], [[George Sand]], [[Alexandre Dumas]] pėre, and [[Heinrich Heine]]. Among the many musical figures were several Italian such as [[Michele Carafa]] and the imposing [[Luigi Cherubini]], then in his seventies.

In terms of musical activity—or lack thereof—Bellini pleaded guilty in the letter to Florimo in March 1834: "If you reflect for a moment that a young man in my position, in London and Paris for the first time, cannot help amusing himself immensely, you will excuse me."<ref>Bellini to Florimo, 11 March 1834, in {{harvnb|Weinstock|1971|p=159}}</ref> However, in January 1834, he had signed a contract to write a new opera for the Théâtre-Italien which would be presented at the end of the year. At the same time, he had been invited to write a new opera for the San Carlo in Naples for the 1834–35 Carnival season, but declined given the Paris commitment and stated that it might be possible to do so by May 1835 when he knew who were to be the contracted singers. Florimo immediately began to try to persuade his friend to take up this offer, indicating that Malibran had been engaged for Naples in January 1835.

On a professional level, Bellini became very concerned around the middle of April 1834, when he learned that Donizetti would be composing for the Théâtre-Italien during the same season, 1834–35. According to Weinstock, quoting letters sent to Florimo in Italy at around that time (and continuing almost up to the premiere of ''I puritani''), Bellini perceived this to be a plot orchestrated by Rossini. In a long, rambling letter of 2,500 words to Florino of 11 March 1834, he expresses his frustrations.<ref>Bellini to Florimo, 11 March 1834, in {{harvnb|Weinstock|1971|p=163}}</ref>

But over a year later and with hindsight—after ''Puritani''{{'}}s great success which came way ahead of that of Donizetti's first work for Paris, ''[[Marin Faliero]]''—he outlines "the plot which was being hatched against me" and the strategies which he adopted to counter it. These strategies included expanding his contacts with Rossini to secure his growing friendship by continuing to see him on numerous occasions to seek his advice, noting "I have always adored Rossini, and I succeeded, and happily&nbsp;... [having] tamed Rossini's hatred, I no longer was frightened and finished that work of mine which won me so much honour".<ref>Bellini to Vincenzo Ferlito, [day, month unknown, 1835 after ''Puritani's success''], in {{harvnb|Weinstock|1971|pp=163–164}}</ref> In a series of letters to Florimo throughout the year, he wrote of Rossini's increasing support, even love: "I hear that he speaks well of me" (4 September 1834); "...&nbsp;if I have Rossini's protection, I'll be situated very well" (4 November); "The most beautiful is that Rossini loves me very, very, very much" (18 November); and "...&nbsp;my very dear Rossini who now loves me as a son" (21 January 1835, following the dress rehearsal).<ref name=WEIN179>Letters from Bellini to Florimo, in {{harvnb|Weinstock|1971|pp=179–182}}</ref>

However, during the time during which he was composing ''Puritani'', Bellini recounted the details of another bout of what he describes as "gastric fever"<ref>Bellini to Florimo, 30 April 1834, in {{harvnb|Weinstock|1971|pp=164–165}}</ref> and which Weinstock describes as "that brief indisposition, which had been recurring almost every year at the onset of warm weather".{{sfn|Weinstock|1971|p=165}}

===''I puritani'': January 1834 to January 1835===

[[File:Carlo Pepoli.jpg|thumb|Librettist Carlo Pepoli]]
Having signed the contract for a new opera, Bellini began to look around for a suitable subject and, in a letter to Florimo of 11 March 1834, he alludes to the opera which was to become ''[[I puritani]]'', noting: "I am about to lose my mind over the plot of the opera for Paris, as it has been impossible to find a suitable subject for my purpose and adaptable to the company".<ref name=WEIN160/>

In the same letter he continues by stating that he was working towards finding a subject with the Italian émigré, Count Pepoli, who came from a prominent Bologna family and who had been active in opposition to Austrian rule of Italy, until forced into exile in France and England. Although Pepoli had yet to write for the opera house, he made acquaintance with Bellini at one of the salons both attended. The process of writing the libretto and working with the composer was a struggle (notes Weinstock), added to by a period of illness which Bellini reports, although—on 11 April—he is able to report in a letter to Ferlito that he was well and that "I have chosen the story for my Paris opera; it is of the times of Cromvello [Cromwell], after he had King Charles I of England beheaded."<ref>Bellini to Vincenzo Ferlito, 11 April 1834, in {{harvnb|Weinstock|1971|p=161}}</ref> In his letter, he continues by providing a synopsis, indicating that his favourite singers—Giulia Grisi, Rubini, Tamburini, and Lablache—would be available for the principal roles, and that he would begin to write the music by 15 April if he has received the verses. He also referred to the offer from Naples for April 1836 and noting his financial demands with the questions as to how this might be received.

The chosen source was a play performed in Paris only six months before, ''Têtes Rondes et Cavalieres'' (''Roundheads and Cavaliers''), written by [[Jacques-François Ancelot]] and [[X. B. Saintine|Joseph Xavier Saintine]], which some sources state was based on [[Walter Scott]]'s novel ''[[Old Mortality]]'', while others state that there is no connection.<ref>Osbourne 1994, p. 350</ref> The composer had prepared the way for his librettist by providing him with a scenario of thirty-nine scenes (thus compressing the original drama into manageable proportions), reducing the number of characters from nine to seven and at the same time, giving them names of a more Italianate, singable quality.<ref name=WEIN162/>

Continuing to work on the yet-unnamed ''I Puritani'', Bellini moved to Puteaux—"a half an hour by road" from central Paris, as the guest of an English friend, Samuel Levys, "where I hope to complete my opera more carefully".<ref name=WEIN162>Bellini to Florimo, 26 May 1834, in {{harvnb|Weinstock|1971|pp=162–163}}</ref> At some time in the late Spring (specific date unknown) Bellini wrote to Pepoli to remind him that he should bring the first act of the opera with him the following day "so that we can finish discussing the first act, which&nbsp;... will be interesting, magnificent, and proper poetry for music in spite of you and all your absurd rules&nbsp;..."<ref name=WEIN170>Bellini to Pepoli, no date given, in {{harvnb|Weinstock|1971|pp=170–171}}</ref> At the same time, he lays out one basic rule for the librettist to follow:
<blockquote>Carve into your head in adamantine letters: ''The opera must draw tears, terrify people, make them die through singing''<ref name=WEIN170 /></blockquote>

By late June, there had been considerable progress and, in a letter copied into one written to Florimo on 25 July, Bellini writes in reply to Alesandro Lanari, now the director of the Royal Theatres of Naples. Because Lanari had written to him on 10 April 1834 regarding an opera for Naples, Bellini tells him that the first act of ''Puritani'' is finished and that he expects to complete the opera by September, in order that he may then have time to write for Naples. In this letter to Lanari, the composer lays down some very strict terms, some of which received counter-offers in August, but none of which were accepted by the composer.{{sfn|Weinstock|1971|pp=171–172}} Finally, Bellini stated that he did not want "to negotiate with anybody until I see what success my opera will have". This included a proposal from the [[Opéra-Comique]] for a new opera for them.)<ref>Bellini to Santocanale, 21 September 1834, in {{harvnb|Weinstock|1971|p=173}}</ref>

By September he was writing to Florimo of being able to "polish and re-polish" in the three remaining months before rehearsals and he expresses happiness with Pepoli's verses ("a very beautiful trio for the two basses and ''La Grisi''")and by around mid-December he had submitted the score for Rossini's approval, with rehearsals planned for late December/early January.<ref name=WEIN179/> The dress rehearsal on 20 January 1835 was attended by many people—"All of high society, all the great artists, and everyone most distinguished in Paris were in the theatre, enthusiastic."—and the premiere, postponed by two days, took place on 24 January 1835. Bellini's ecstatic letter to Florimo which followed recounts the enthusiastic reception of many of the numbers throughout the performance, most especially the second act ''[[stretto|stretta]]'' so that, by its end:
<blockquote>The French had all gone mad; there were such noise and such shouts that they themselves were astonished at being so carried away.&nbsp;... In a word, my dear Florimo, it was an unheard of thing, and since Saturday, Paris has spoken of it in amazement.&nbsp;... I showed myself to the audience, which shouted as if insane.&nbsp;... How satisfied I am! [He concludes by noting the success of the singers]: "Lablache sang like a god, Grisi like a little angel, Rubini and Tamburini the same."<ref>Bellini to Florimo, [date unknown; postmarked 26 January 1835], in {{harvnb|Weinstock|1971|p=184}}</ref></blockquote>
The opera became "the rage of Paris" and was given 17 performances to end the season on 31 March.