Who composed Anna Bolena?
Gaetano Donizetti composed Anna Bolena, an 1830 tragic opera in two acts with an Italian libretto by Felice Romani.
Questions about Anna Bolena
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When did Anna Bolena premiere?
Anna Bolena premiered on the 26th of December 1830 at the Teatro Carcano in Milan, to what was later called an overwhelming success.
What is the opera Anna Bolena about?
Anna Bolena dramatizes the final months of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of England's King Henry VIII, in Windsor and London in 1536. The opera follows her fall from favor, a council trial, and her execution alongside Percy, Rochefort and Smeaton.
Who sang the title role in the premiere of Anna Bolena?
Giuditta Pasta created the title role at the Teatro Carcano premiere on the 26th of December 1830, opposite Filippo Galli as Henry VIII.
Why did Anna Bolena fall out of the standard opera repertory?
After the rise of verismo, Anna Bolena was performed only infrequently. It was rarely staged in the first half of the 20th century until revivals began after World War II, notably Maria Callas's 1957 La Scala performances.
How is Anna Bolena related to Donizetti's other operas about Tudor England?
Anna Bolena is one of four Donizetti operas set in the Tudor period, alongside Il castello di Kenilworth (1829), Maria Stuarda (1834-1835) and Roberto Devereux (1837). The female leads of the latter three are often called the Three Donizetti Queens.