Salvadore Cammarano (also Salvatore) (born

Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adm ...

, 19 March 1801 – died Naples 17 July 1852) was a prolific Italian

librettist A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major litu ...

and playwright perhaps best known for writing the text of ''

Lucia di Lammermoor ''Lucia di Lammermoor'' () is a (tragic opera) in three acts by Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti. Salvadore Cammarano wrote the Italian-language libretto loosely based upon Sir Walter Scott's 1819 historical novel '' The Bride of Lammermoo ...

'' (1835) for

Gaetano Donizetti Domenico Gaetano Maria Donizetti (29 November 1797 – 8 April 1848) was an Italian composer, best known for his almost 70 operas. Along with Gioachino Rossini and Vincenzo Bellini, he was a leading composer of the '' bel canto'' opera style ...

. For Donizetti he also contributed the libretti for ''

L'assedio di Calais ''L'assedio di Calais'' (''The siege of Calais'') is an 1836 ''melodramma lirico'', or opera, in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti, his 49th opera. Salvatore Cammarano wrote the Italian libretto, which has been described as "...a remarkable libret ...

'' (1836), ''

Belisario ''Belisario'' (''Belisarius'') is a ''tragedia lirica'' (tragic opera) in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. Salvadore Cammarano wrote the Italian libretto after Luigi Marchionni's adaptation of play, ''Belisarius'', first staged in Munich in 182 ...

'' (1836), ''

Pia de' Tolomei Pia de' Tolomei was an Italian noblewoman from Siena identified as "la Pia," a minor character in Dante's ''Divine Comedy'' who was murdered by her husband. Her brief presence in the poem has inspired many works in art, music, literature, and ci ...

'' (1837), ''

Roberto Devereux ''Roberto Devereux'' (or ''Roberto Devereux, ossia Il conte di Essex'' 'Robert Devereux, or the Earl of Essex'' is a ''tragedia lirica'', or tragic opera, by Gaetano Donizetti. Salvadore Cammarano wrote the Italian libretto after François An ...

'' (1837), ''

Maria de Rudenz ''Maria de Rudenz'' is a ''dramma tragico'', or tragic opera, in three parts by Gaetano Donizetti. The Italian libretto was written by Salvadore Cammarano, based on "a piece of Gothic horror",Osborne 1994, pp. 262-263 ''La nonne sanglante'' by A ...

'' (1838), ''

Poliuto ''Poliuto'' is a three-act ''tragedia lirica'' (or tragic opera) by Gaetano Donizetti from the Italian libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, which was based on Pierre Corneille's play ''Polyeucte'' written in 1641–42. It reflected the life of the e ...

'' (1838), and ''

Maria di Rohan ''Maria di Rohan'' is a ''melodramma tragico'', or tragic opera, in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. The Italian libretto was written by Salvadore Cammarano, after Lockroy and Edmond Badon's ''Un duel sous le cardinal de Richelieu'', which had ...

'' (1843), while for

Giuseppe Persiani Giuseppe Persiani (11 September 1799 – 13 August 1869) was an Italian opera composer. Persiani was born in Recanati. He wrote his first opera - one of 11 - in 1826 but, after his marriage to the soprano Fanny Tacchinardi Persiani, who wa ...

he was the author of '' Ines de Castro''. For

Verdi Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto to a provincial family of moderate means, receiving a musical education with the ...

he wrote ''

Alzira Alzira may refer to: * ''Alzira'' (opera), an opera by Giuseppe Verdi *Alzira, Valencia Alzira ( es, Alcira) is a city and municipality of 45.088 inhabitants (62,094 floating population) in Valencia, eastern Spain. It is the capital of the ''coma ...

'' (1845), ''

La battaglia di Legnano ''La battaglia di Legnano'' (''The Battle of Legnano'') is an opera in four acts, with music by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian-language libretto by Salvadore Cammarano. It was based on the play ''La Bataille de Toulouse'' by Joseph Méry, later the ...

'' (1849) and '' Luisa Miller'' (1849), but after he died in July 1852, Verdi worked with Leone Emanuele Bardare to complete the libretto for ''

Il trovatore ''Il trovatore'' ('The Troubadour') is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto largely written by Salvadore Cammarano, based on the play ''El trovador'' (1836) by Antonio García Gutiérrez. It was García Gutiérrez's mos ...

'' (1853).Budden, Vol. 2, p.65 Cammarano also started work on libretto for a proposed adaptation of

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

's play ''

King Lear ''King Lear'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between two of his daughters. He becomes destitute and insane a ...

'', named '' Re Lear'', but he died before completing it; a detailed scenario survives. His father,

Giuseppe Giuseppe is the Italian form of the given name Joseph, from Latin Iōsēphus from Ancient Greek Ἰωσήφ (Iōsḗph), from Hebrew יוסף. It is the most common name in Italy and is unique (97%) to it. The feminine form of the name is Gius ...

, was a painter and set-designer. His son,

Michele Michele (), is an Italian male given name, akin to the English male name Michael. Michele (pronounced ), is also an English female given name that is derived from the French Michèle. It is a variant spelling of the more common (and identically ...

, was also a painter.

Libretti by Cammarano

*1834: ''La sposa'' (

Egisto Vignozzi Egisto can refer to: *Aegisthus, figure in Greek mythology * L'Egisto, 1643 opera by Francesco Cavalli *Chi soffre, speri ''Chi soffre, speri'' (''Let him who Suffers Hope'') or ''L'Egisto'' is an opera in a prologue and three acts by the Italian ...

) *1835: ''Ines de Castro'' (

), in collaboration with

Giovanni Emanuele Bidera Giovanni Emanuele Bidera (or Bideri) (4 October 1784 – 8 April 1858) was an Italian writer. He is primarily known as the librettist of Gaetano Donizetti's operas ''Gemma di Vergy'' and ''Marino Faliero'', but he also wrote many other librettos ...

*1835: ''Un matrimonio per ragione'' (

Giuseppe Staffa Giuseppe Staffa (1807–1877) was an Italian composer and conductor. He is best remembered for his seven operas which he composed between 1827 and 1852. He was active as a conductor in Naples at the Teatro del Fondo and Teatro Nuovo. One of hi ...

) *1835: ''

'' (

) *1836: ''

'' (Gaetano Donizetti) *1836: ''

'' (Gaetano Donizetti) *1836: ''Eufemio di Messina'' (Giuseppe Persiani), from an original libretto by

Felice Romani Giuseppe Felice Romani (31 January 178828 January 1865) was an Italian poet and scholar of literature and mythology who wrote many librettos for the opera composers Donizetti and Bellini. Romani was considered the finest Italian librettist betw ...

*1837: ''

'' (Gaetano Donizetti) *1837: ''

'' (Gaetano Donizetti) *1838: ''

'' (Gaetano Donizetti), first performance 1848 *1838: ''Elena da Feltre'' (

Saverio Mercadante Giuseppe Saverio Raffaele Mercadante (baptised 17 September 179517 December 1870) was an Italian composer, particularly of operas. While Mercadante may not have retained the international celebrity of Gaetano Donizetti or Gioachino Rossini beyond ...

) *1839: ''I ciarlatani'' ( Luigi Cammarano) *1839: ''Il Conte di Chalais'' ( Giuseppe Lillo) *1840: ''Cristina di Svezia'' (

Alessandro Nini Alessandro Nini (born in Fano near Pesaro, 1 November 1805 – died in Bergamo, 27 December 1880) was an Italian composer of operas and church music, also chamber music and symphonies. Of the eight operas he composed, '' La marescialla d'Ancr ...

) *1840: '' Saffo'' (

Giovanni Pacini Giovanni Pacini (11 February 17966 December 1867) was an Italian composer, best known for his operas. Pacini was born in Catania, Sicily, the son of the buffo Luigi Pacini, who was to appear in the premieres of many of Giovanni's operas. The fam ...

) *1840: '' La vestale'' (Saverio Mercadante) *1841: ''Luigi Rolla'' (

Federico Ricci Federico Ricci (22 October 1809 – 10 December 1877), was an Italian composer, particularly of operas. Born in Naples, he was the younger brother of Luigi Ricci, with whom he collaborated on several works. Federico studied at Naples as had his ...

) *1842: ''Il proscritto'' (Saverio Mercadante) *1842: ''La fidanzata corsa'' (

) *1843: ''

'' (Gaetano Donizetti) *1843: ''Il reggente'' (Saverio Mercadante) *1843: ''Ester d'Engaddi'' ( Achille Peri) *1843: ''Il ravvedimento'' (Luigi Cammarano) *1845: ''Bondelmonte'' (Giovanni Pacini) *1845: ''

'' (Giuseppe Verdi) *1845: ''Il vascello de Gama'' (Saverio Mercadante) *1845: ''Stella di Napoli'' (Giovanni Pacini) *1846: ''

Orazi e Curiazi ''Orazi e Curiazi'' (''The Horatii and the Curiatii'') is an opera by the Italian composer Saverio Mercadante. It takes the form of a ''tragedia lirica'' in three acts. The libretto, by Salvadore Cammarano, is based on the Roman legend of the f ...

'' (Saverio Mercadante) *1847: '' Merope'' (Giovanni Pacini) *1847: ''Eleonora Dori'' ( Vincenzo Battista) *1849: ''

'' (Giuseppe Verdi) *1849: '' Luisa Miller'' (Giuseppe Verdi) *1850: ''

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...

'' (Saverio Mercadante), first performance 1866 *1850: ''Non v'è fumo senza fuoco'' (Luigi Cammarano) *1851: ''Malvina di Scozia'' (Giovanni Pacini) *1851: ''Folco d'Arles'' ( Nicola De Giosa) *1851: ' (Saverio Mercadante), from an original libretto by Felice Romani *1853: ''

'' (Giuseppe Verdi)

References

Notes Sources *Black, John (1982), ''Donizetti's Operas in Naples, 1822 to 1848'', London: Donizetti Society, 1982 *Black, John (1984), ''The Italian Romantic Libretto: A Study of Salvadore Cammarano'', Edinburgh University Press, 1984 *

Budden, Julian Julian Medforth Budden (9 April 1924 in Hoylake, Wirral – 28 February 2007 in Florence, Italy) was a British opera scholar, radio producer and broadcaster. He is particularly known for his three volumes on the operas of Giuseppe Verdi (publis ...

, ''The Operas of Verdi, 2, From'' Il Trovatore ''to'' La Forza del destino'' ''. London: Cassell, 1984. (hardcover); (paperback). *Warrack, John and Ewan West, ''The Oxford Dictionary of Opera'', Oxford University Press, 1992

External links

Opera at Stanford University
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cammarano, Salvatore 1801 births 1852 deaths Italian opera librettists 19th-century Neapolitan people Italian male dramatists and playwrights 19th-century Italian dramatists and playwrights 19th-century Italian male writers