Vincenzo Bellini: 1801-1835 Norma Norma is a virgin priestess in Ancient Rome. Pollione is a slutbag who fathers a few children with her. And then he's disgusting and convinces another priestess, Adalgisa, to escape Rome with him. But Adalgisa feels bad and tells Norma. Norma gets ANGRY. So angry that she almost murders her children. Adalgisa offers Pollione back to Norma, but she doesn't give a fuck. She orders a funeral pyre to be started. Pollione watches in awe. She cuts the sacred mistletoe for the hanging cermony. She sings "Casta Diva" before jumping into the fire Gaetano Donizetti: 1789-1849 Giuseppe Verdi: 1813-1901 BFFs with Cavour Almost had a political career Loved writing about people overthrowing their governments/oppressors Rossini was brilliant, Bellini was elegant, Verdi was dark and powerful Macbeth You know the story. Librettists are Piave and Maffei Rigoletto Based on a play by Victor Hugo, libretto by Piave. Decrease number of arias, increased continuity and flexibility Il Trovatore Based off a spanish play, produced in 1853 in Rome. Count di Luna burns the mother of Azucena, a gypsy, at stake. Because she cursed his brother's child. Azucena revenges herself by stealing a baby and burning it, but it's her own (WHAT THE FUCK). She raises the baby as her own, naming him Manrico. Manrico tries to serenane Lady Leonora at his brother's palace but he doesn't know it's his brother's. Duel. Azucena then sings that she burned her own baby, but her son is Manrico. Count and Manrico are trying to abduct Leonora because she thought Manrico died and was gonna become a nun. Then Azucena is captured by the count. Manrico finds out before getting married to Leonora. The count threatens to kill manrico for finding his mom and her. But then they get mercy. So she kills herself. Then the count murders Manrico. La Traviata (the strayed woman) Produced in Venice in 1853. Libretto Piave, story Dumas. A prostitute falls for a rich boy. They live in peace and poverty. Then hisdad says break up, he's too good for you and you will be ugly and old. They break up. Then they get back together because she is sick, and she gives a portrait of her to him for his next wife #tuberculosis Rigoletto Teatro La Fenice, Venice, 1851