ALS in Italian, signed “G. Donizetti,” three pages on two adjoining sheets, 6.75 x 8.75, August 28, 1842. Letter to his publisher in Milan, Giovanni Ricordi. Donizetti is furious that the censors in Venice have massacred his latest opera, Maria Padilla, and suggests a number of changes to preserve the work’s integrity. In full (translated): “Dear Ricordi, Many thanks for asking Diabelli to present (in my name I hope) the copy of Linda to Her Majesty the Empress. The one that you give me I shall myself give to Her Majesty when I go to Vienna, so that she should have one of yours as well and see how things are printed in Italy; so do not give it to her yourself but send me my copy in Vienna.
I ask you again to ask [Bartolomeo] Merelli not to perform Betly, since it is not at all the right kind of opera for [tenor Carlo] Guasco, and it does not seem the sort of opera to do anyway since various bits of it have already been sung, such as the tenor aria, the last rondo…the woman’s cavatina, etc. Ask him that from me, as far as you can, and tell him that I am reserving him instead for one of those operettas which will be done at Vienna with dances. Indeed I am so sure that he will listen to me that I am no longer thinking of leaving the Buffo’s aria and the duet with Betly for you at Genoa.
I am very pleased to hear the Löwe is coming here, but I shall have gone.
While I am away I would ask you to remember from time to time my brother-in-law in Rome, for some pieces for voice or instrument. Although Padilla has been massacred in a horrific way by not getting past the censor, it is attracting people. Mad. De Varny, the Spalli woman, finished her contract yesterday evening, the management did not have any women to substitute, since another, better woman (Ruiz) left yesterday, and so they have had to keep her on for a few more days until the ninth (9 Sept.) to do some more performances, hoping that the woman now in childbirth could take over the part after a few days. As for the censor, all you need to know is that in the first act when Maria sees Don Pedro at the window and says, in a terrible voice, ‘Don Pedro di Castiglia,’ and he answers when he sees her with the dagger in her hand ‘Heavens, what do I see?,’ they have substituted ‘It is wonderful to see you,’ and (he says) ‘My idol.’ And I cannot describe the alterations they have made—the other wife no longer comes in at the end, etc. etc.—it is quite unbelievable.
What I should like to do is to adjust the cabaletta (of the duet in the first act, A me o cara), which the first time is just a single phrase by itself, so that the woman does not enter repeating it, but rather where she says ‘Ah, too happy am I’; and at the end of the extension is the last cadenza of the cabaletta as it now stands,—as you already have these alterations from Vienna (which are formed on the ‘la’ held as it was previously before repeating the motif).
In the score which you copied, that is the short ‘stretta’ one (the revised duet) there is too much orchestration in the first 8 bars; so in the score cross out the clarinets and the first bassoon for the first eight bars of the song, leaving the rest.
The 3rd act duet between father and daughter with the additions made at Vienna after the band is heard outside, is rather more lively, and you may leave it, or you may add to it, at least in the score if you do not want to in the printed version. In fact all the revisions were successful except for that bastard of a finale in the 2nd act, which you should leave, and for which I shall find some expedient later on. I do ask you, the very next time you write to Diabelli, that you make him to tell Mo. Salvi and Bassi is working for him so that wretched young man should not feel himself bound to me. Ask him to tell Balocchino, I beg you. Do not find the Buffo too obscene—O tempora O mores—here in the censorship they have a sort of fever for altering (in their own way) the most absurd and ridiculous things, as one sees in their alterations. But there we are. I am going to Paris to work (the usual crowd). Greet our dear Marchessi, Pedroni, Piazza, in fact everyone. The day after tomorrow Elisir at the Fondo. Greet Cori, your son & wife, Merelli. Farewell, farewell.”
In a postscript, he writes: “Yesterday evening the court wildly applauded Tadolini in every piece; she was called back many times, and was quite indefatigable, even after that duet with the father, and was quite fresh at the last cabaletta and has a voice like a cannon. Would you give a thousand greetings to dear Signora Peppina Appiani, to her sons and daughters and her family. This I do beg of you.” Tipped into archival boards and in very good condition, with creasing, staining, multiple intersecting folds, and a tear to the edge of the last page.
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