Gaetano Donizetti

Caterina Cornaro

In the spring of 1842, Gaetano Donizetti signed two contracts with the theaters of Vienna and Naples, making arrangements with Salvadore Cammarano for the writing of the librettos. However, Cammarano withdrew, leaving the task to Giacomo Sacchero, who worked on an opera for Vienna dedicated to Caterina Cornaro, the last queen of Cyprus. Donizetti began composing in the autumn of 1842 but had to suspend his work upon discovering that a similar opera was being staged in Vienna. In 1843, he then proposed the opera to the San Carlo Theater in Naples, but due to his deteriorating health, he was unable to oversee its production. The absence of the composer and the censorship imposed on the opera compromised its success, leading to a lukewarm reception and a swift withdrawal from the stage. Donizetti attempted to present it again in Vienna, without success, and later in Parma, where it was staged in 1845. However, this version was not significantly different from the Neapolitan one, as the composer, once again, was unable to supervise its production. The modern critical edition has reconstructed the opera according to the composer’s original intent, restoring the censored and omitted sections. Restored to its original form, Caterina Cornaro is now available to performers and scholars, representing one of the boldest experiments of Donizetti’s final creative period. Moreover, its political themes make it a key work of Italian melodrama from the 1840s, reflecting the European peoples' desire for self-determination.