Editing Vincenzo Bellini (section)

===''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.