BAL´s “Anna Bolena”, a travesty of bel canto values

Gaetano Donizetti´s "Anna Bolena", composed when he was 33, was already his 32nd opera. And it became his first great success, as well as starting the trilogy of British Queens, continued with "Maria Stuarda" and ended with "Roberto Devereux". The decline of Donizetti´s star during the "verismo" years was followed after WWII with a revival of many unduly forgotten titles. For "A.B.", the triumph of Callas and Simionato in 1957 with Gavazzeni´s conducting and Viscon [...]