Issuu

Nicola Alaimo & Carlo Rizzi with

Hetty Snell

DONIZETTI & FRIENDS

TUESDAY 16 JUNE 2026, 1 00PM

Wigmore Hall, London

NICOLA ALAIMO and CARLO RIZZI with

HETTY SNELL

Donizetti&Friends

The concert will finish at approximately 2 15pm, without interval

p Il trovatore in caricatura “Era notte, e la campana” is dedicated to Donizetti Syndicate

Lucy Stout

L’amor funesto “Più che non ama un angelo” is dedicated to Donizetti Syndicate Sup

Amor marinaro “Me voglio fà ’na casa” is dedicated to Opera Rara’s Guardian Societ

Programme

Nicola Alaimo, bass-baritone

Carlo Rizzi, piano with Hetty Snell, cello

Composer Song Poet

Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848)

Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868)

Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835)

Gaetano Donizetti

Saverio Mercadante (1795-1870)

Vincenzo Bellini

Gaetano Donizetti

Giovanni Luigi Redaelli

Lorenzo Borsini

Pietro Antonio Trapassi

Unknown

Unknown Giuseppina Guacci

Carlo Pepoli, Conte

Matteo di Ganci

Unknown

Nicola Alaimo and Carlo Rizzi will be signing copies of Donizetti Songs in the foyer after the performance

ProgrammeNoteandTexts

Opera Rara’s Donizetti Song Project

One of Opera Rara’s most ambitious projects in its more than fifty-year history is to record the complete solo songs of Gaetano Donizetti.

A handful of these songs have been long known and often performed; many more were listed in specialist catalogues but very rarely if ever performed; others still were completely unknown or thought lost and have now come to light

Recent research connected with this project has made clear that, in total, Donizetti wrote some 200 solo songs over the course of his thirty-year career

Making modern editions of this vast corpus has been challenging: the songs are dispersed in European libraries and beyond, often having been casually given away at the time of composition (typically as a present to the dedicatee)

In their totality, these compositions make a powerful case for Donizetti as a key figure in nineteenth-century domestic music-making: someone whose achievements in this area deserve to be better known; a body of work that, single-handedly, makes a powerful argument for the importance of the Italian “school” in a field long dominated by German and French composers

The Donizetti Song Project is based on a new edition of the composer’s complete solo songs, undertaken by Roger Parker and Ian Schofield

All Donizetti commentary, texts and translations in this programme book have been provided by Roger Parker Other texts and translations by Opera Rara

For a collection of clips from the recital hall and the recording studio, visit our YouTube channel at youtube.com/@operararaofficial.

Amore e morte

“Odi d’un uom che muore”

Odi d’un uom che muore,

Odi l’estremo suon;

Quest’appassito fiore

Ti lascio, Elvira, in don.

Quanto prezioso ei sia

Tu dei saperlo appien;

Nel dì che fosti mia

Te lo involai dal sen

Simbolo allor d’affetto,

Or pegno di dolor,

Torna a posarti in petto

Questo appassito fior

E avrai nel cor scolpito,

Se duro il cor non è,

Come ti fu rapito,

Come ritorna a te

Please do not turn the page until

the song and its accompaniment have ended We want

Hear from a dying man,

Hear his final sounds;

This faded flower

I leave you, Elvira, as a gift.

You must fully understand How precious it is;

On the day you became mine

I stole it from your breast

Then a symbol of our love,

Now a token of sorrow,

Place once more on your breast

This faded flower

And you will have engraved on your heart,

If your heart is not hard,

How it was stolen from you,

How it was returned to you

Il trovatore in caricatura

“Era notte e la campana”

Era notte, e la campana

Dava un tocco ogni secondo,

Gracidar s’udia la rana

Del pantano nel profondo,

Il chiaror di mesta luna

Riflettea sulla laguna,

Allorché giunse al castello

Il meschino trovator

Ma trovò chiuso il cancello,

Eran tutti in letto allor!

Osa gl’occhi appena estorre

Il figliuol della sciagura,

Vede i merli della torre,

Del veron vede le mura,

Ed ascender su pe’ vetri

Vede il lemuri e gli spettri,

Vede un gatto soriano

Che correva su e giù

Ed un’ombra di lontano

Gli parea d’un tal che fu!

Rinfinito dal viaggio,

Move i passi lenti lenti

Alla chiesa del villaggio

In fra i salici piangenti,

E la croce in suo pensiero

Salutò del cimitero

Ahi sventura! batte invano,

Chiede invan la carità,

Ché risponde il sagrestano:

Il curato non ci sta!

Era notte ed il meschino

Stava in mezzo della via, Senza il becco d’un quattrino

Per andare all’osteria,

Non avea trovato un cane

Che gli desse alloggio o pane;

Onde il misero languente

Dicea preso dal dolor:

Ma se posso trovar niente,

P hé f i il t ator?

It was night, and the church clock

Gave a tick every second,

The frog was croaking

At the bottom of the marsh,

The light of the sad moon

Reflected on the lagoon,

When the wretched troubadour

Reached the castle

But he found the gate closed,

By then they were all in bed!

The son of misfortune

Barely dares to raise his eyes,

He sees the battlements of the tower,

He sees the walls of the balcony,

And climbing through the windows

He sees ghosts and spectres,

He sees a tabby cat

Running here and there

And a shadow from afar

Seemed to him of someone long gone!

Exhausted from the journey,

He moves in slow, slow steps

To the village church

Among the weeping willows,

And the cross, in his thoughts,

Greeted him from the cemetery

Alas, misfortune! he knocks in vain,

In vain asks for charity,

Because the sacristan replies:

The curate is not here!

It was night and the wretched man

Stood in the middle of the road,

Without a single penny

To go to the inn,

He hadn’t found a dog

Who would give him lodgings or food;

So, the poor sufferer

Said, overcome with sorrow:

But if I can’t find anything,

Why am I acting the troubadour?

Gioachino Rossini

La promessa

Ch'io mai vi possa

Lasciar d'amare,

No, nol credete,

Pupille care;

Nè men per gioco

V'ingannerò

Voi foste e siete

Le mie faville,

E voi sarete,

Care pupille,

Il mio bel foco

Sin ch'io vivrò, ah!

Vincenzo Bellini

Vaga luna, che inargenti

Queste rive e questi fiori

Ed inspiri agli elementi

Il linguaggio dell'amor;

Testimonio or sei tu sola

Del mio fervido desir,

Ed a lei che m'innamora

Conta i palpiti e i sospir.

Dille pur che lontananza

Il mio duol non può lenir,

Che se nutro una speranza,

Ella è sol nell'avvenir

Dille pur che giorno e sera

Conto l'ore del dolor,

Che una speme lusinghiera

Mi conforta nell'amor

That I will ever be able

To stop loving you,

No, don't believe it,

Dear eyes;

Not even to joke

Would I deceive you about this

You alone

Are my sparks,

And you will be,

Dear eyes,

My beautiful fire

As long as I live, ah!

Wandering moon, whose silver light

Bathes these shores and these flowers,

And inspires in all creation

The language of love;

You alone now bear witness

To my ardent desire,

And to her who has stolen my heart

Tell of my sighs and trembling pulses.

Tell her too that distance

Cannot soothe my sorrow,

And that if I still cherish a hope,

It lives only for what is to come

Tell her that day and night

I count the hours of suffering,

And that one sweet, flattering hope

Comforts me in love

Gaetano Donizetti

Mentre dal caro lido

La barca s’allontana,

Saluta il dì cadente

Mestissima campana;

Ed a me punge il core

La memoria d’amore

Né vane son le lagrime

Al mesto pellegrino,

Ma giova solo piangere

A chi ti sta vicino,

Che piansi teco anch’io

Il dì d’un altro addio

Addio Brunetta, Son già lontano,

Il pianto è vano,

Vano il dolor

Questa mia nave

Farà ritorno,

Ma non il giorno

Del nostro amor

Ch’essa ritrova

Lo stesso lido,

Io trovo infido

Lo stesso cor.

While the boat draws away

From the beloved shore,

A doleful bell

Salutes the dying day;

And the memory of love

Stings my heart

Tears are not in vain

For the sad pilgrim,

But all that remains is weeping

For the one who is near to you,

And I weep with you

Over the day of another farewell

Farewell Brunetta,

I’m already far away,

There’s no use crying,

Sorrow is in vain

My ship

Will return,

But what won’t return

Is the day of our love

If my ship reaches

The same shore,

I will find

The same unfaithful heart.

L’amor funesto “Più che non ama un angelo”

Più che non ama un angelo,

T’amai nel mio deliro,

Mi fusi nel tuo spirito,

Vissi nel tuo respiro,

Ma un core senza palpiti,

Un giuro senza fè,

Un riso senza lagrime,

Donna, tu desti a me

Addio, lontano è il tumulo

Che accoglierà quest’ossa,

Né resterà pei gemiti

La traccia della fossa;

L’angiol tu fosti e il demone

De’ miei consunti dì,

T’amo, dicesti a un misero,

Ed egli ne morì

More than an angel loves,

I loved you in my delirium,

I joined myself to your spirit,

I lived in your breath;

But a heart that does not throb,

A vow without fidelity,

A smile without tears,

Is, woman, what you gave me

Farewell, far away is the grave

That will welcome these bones,

Nor will there remain, from my groans,

Any trace of the burial place;

You were the angel and the demon

Of my past days,

I love you, you said to a miserable man,

And he died as a consequence

#AskOperaRara

The Donizetti Song Project

Celebrating nearly 200 restored songs returned to the repertoire, five mainstage concerts with world-renowned singers, 15 concerts dedicated to emerging talent, and more than 200,000 online concert streams.

The first Donizetti & Friends concert at Wigmore Hall on 9 September 2023

“ThereweremanysongswhereIthought

‘Wow,thisisajewelrightthere!’ ThesepiecesreallyshowyouDonizetti’srange.”

- LAWRENCE BROWNLEE

Saverio Mercadante

Il sogno “Sognava, o mia diletto”

Sognava, o mia diletta, Sognai ch'io t'era accanto,

Che al sen t'avea ristretta,

Che univa il nostro pianto,

Scordava ogni mia guerra,

Scordava e cielo e terra,

Pregava, oh! Fosse questo

Per me l'estremo dì

Quegli occhi disiati

Vidi brillar d'amore,

Io vidi, e gl'infiammati

Desir m'ardean il core.

Quella celeste idea

Il sonno mi rompea

Ahi! Mi tornò funesto

Il sol che il giorno aprì

I dreamed, O my beloved,

I dreamed that I was beside you,

That I had drawn you to my breast,

That our tears mingled as one

I forgot all my strife,

Forgot both heaven and earth,

And prayed, oh, let this be

The last day of my life

Those longed-for eyes of yours

I saw shining with love,

I saw them, and their burning passion

Set my heart aflame with desire.

That heavenly vision

Sleep itself was shattered by it

Alas! My sorrow returned

With the dawning sun of the day

Vincenzo Bellini

La ricordanza

Era la notte, e presso di Colei

Che sola al cor mi giunse e vi sta sola,

Con quel pianger che rompe la parola,

Io pregava mercede a martir miei

Quand' Ella, chinando gli occhi bei,

Disse (e il membrarlo sol me, da me invola):

Ponmi al cor la tua destra, e ti consola:

Ch'io amo e te sol' amo intender dei,

Poi fatta, per amor, tremante e bianca,

In atto soävissimo mi pose

La bella faccia sulla spalla manca.

Se dopo il dole assai più duol l'amaro;

Se per me nullo istante a quel rispose,

Ah! quant' era in quell' ora il morir caro!

It was night, and beside Her

Who alone has entered and stayed in my heart,

With tears that broke my words,

I begged for relief from my suffering

When She, lowering her lovely eyes,

Said (the memory alone transports me):

Place your hand upon my heart, and be consoled:

Know that I love you and you alone,

Then, pale and trembling with love,

In sweetest tenderness she laid

Her lovely face upon my left shoulder.

Even if, after this bliss, sorrow was far more bitter;

Even if; for me, no moment could be like this,

Ah! how dear it was to die in that hour!

Fenesta che lucive

Fenesta che lucive e mò non luce,

Sign'è ca nenna mia stace ammalata

S'affaccia la sorella e me lo dice:

"Nennella toja è morta e s'è atterrata"

Chiagneva sempe ca dormeva sola,

Mò dorme co li muorte accompagnata

Addio fenesta, restate 'nzerrata,

Ca nenna mia mò nun se pò affacciare!

Io cchiù nun passarraggio pe' 'sta strata.

Vaco a lo camposanto a passiare

'Nzino a lo juorno ca la morte 'ngrata

Me face nenna mia ire a trovare

Shining window that now doesn't shine,

It means that my girl is sick

Her sister comes to the window and tells me:

'Your girl is dead and buried'

She used to cry because she slept alone,

Now she sleeps accompanied by the dead

Goodbye window, stay closed, Because my girl can't show herself now!

I won't pass by this street anymore.

I'm going to the cemetery to wander

My dear parish priest, take care of her

Always keep a lamp lit

Gaetano Donizetti

Dio che col cenno moderi

Dio! che col cenno moderi

L’ira d’un mar che freme,

Che col cenno agl’uomini

Porgi costanza e speme,

Stendi la man benefica

Sul lungo mio dolor

Non chieggo a te la tenera Gioia del cor felice,

Non la speranza provvida

D’affanno incantatrice,

Ti chieggo sol la lagrima,

Che scioglie il gelo al cor

Amor marinaro “Me voglio fà ’na casa”

Me voglio fà ’na casa mmiezo mare

Fravecata de penne de pavune

D’oro e d’argiento li scaline fare

E de prete preziuse li barcune

Quanno Nennella mia se va a facciare

Ognuno dice: “Mo sponta lu sole!”

God! who with a sign controls

The anger of a turbulent sea,

Who with a sign to mankind

Lends constancy and hope,

Stretch forth your benevolent hand

To ease my long pain

I do not ask of you the tender

Joy of a contented heart,

Nor the ardent hope

Of enchanting affection,

I ask you only for a tear,

To melt the ice in my heart

I want to make a house in the middle of the sea

Built out of peacock feathers

To make the stairs of gold and silver

And the balconies of precious stones

When my beloved appears

Everyone says: “Now the sun has come out!”

Winner of the 2016 Premio Abbiati

Prize, Nicola Alaimo performs

regularly in prestigious theatres and festivals around the world, including

the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala in Milan, Teatro Regio in Turin, the

Arena di Verona, Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, Salzburg Festival, La Monnaie in Brussels, the

Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the

Opéra de Monte-Carlo, the Opéra

national de Paris, the Opera di Roma,

the Royal Opera Ballet in London, Teatro Real in Madrid, Deutsche

Oper Berlin, Opernhaus Zürich and the Rossini Opera Festival.

s including Maurizio Benini, Bruno

Gatti, James Levine, Michele Mariotti, Zubin

n-Christophe Spinosi and Carlo Rizzi.

His interpretation of the title role in Rossini’s Guillaume Tell has met with great success, earning acclaim in opera houses worldwide. Recent highlights include tours of La Cenerentola and Il turco in Italia, as well as a Rossini Gala with Cecilia Bartoli and Gianluca Capuano; Falstaff in Florence, Venice and Tokyo; La forza del destino in Paris; Il barbiere di Siviglia in Salzburg and at the Arena di Verona; La Cenerentola and L’italiana in Algeri in Zürich; Nabucco in Geneva; Le Comte Ory in Bologna; Don Pasquale in Turin; and Gianni Schicchi in Monte-Carlo.

Future engagements include Roberto Devereux in Geneva and Naples; L’equivoco stravagante at the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro; Adriana Lecouvreur in Madrid and Toulouse; Madama Butterfly in Florence; L’elisir d’amore in Monte Carlo; Guillaume Tell in Liège; Il barbiere di Siviglia at the Metropolitan Opera; and Falstaff in Dresden

Nicola Alaimo’s previous recordings with Opera Rara include the title role in Donizetti’s Belisario, winner of the 2014 Prix de l’Académie du Disque Lyrique, the role of Murena in Donizetti’s L’esule di Roma and Donizetti Songs Vols 2 and 8 He sings the role of Rambaldo in Opera Rara’s forthcoming release of the final 1921 version of Puccini’s La rondine

CarloRizzi

In May 2023, she was invited to play at King

British cellist Hetty Snell is Principal

Cello in the Orchestra of the Royal

Opera House, a position she has held since 2018 She has previously been a member of the City of Birmingham

Symphony Orchestra and BBC National Orchestra of Wales

Hetty also enjoys a varied freelance

career and has been invited to

perform as guest principal cellist in many orchestras around the country including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

Charles’ Coronation in Westminster

Abbey Hetty is also active on London’s session scene, recording with artists including Take That and Coldplay, and on films including Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning and 28 Years Later

In 2020 Hetty performed the solo cello role in the premiere of Cathy Marston’s ballet ‘The Cellist’ at the Royal Ballet Opera, and again in 2023 receiving widespread critical acclaim

ofDonizettiSongs

Internationally renowned soprano Renée Fleming, whoma recordingdebut withOperaRarain 1994 inDonizetti’s Rosm Honorary Artist Patron In 2022, markingDonizetti’s 225thbi

AboutOperaRara

Ermonela Jaho and Michael Spyres as Artist Ambassador longandacclaimed work with thecompany.

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THANK YOU!

Opera Rara’s work is only made possible by the generosity of our supporters, who believe in our mission to restore, record, perform and promote the forgotten operatic heritage of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries We would like to take this opportunity to thank those individuals and foundations who have made a gift to our Annual Fund* Your continued support is vital to our success

A full list of Opera Rara’s current Annual Fund supporters can be found at: www.opera-rara.com/list-of-supporters.