Sonata for flute and piano

Gaetano Donizetti (1797 – 1848) was an Italian composer, mostly known for his operas. Along with Rossini and Bellini, he represented so-called bel canto opera styles that influenced many composers of the 19th century, including Verdi.
Born in Bergamo, Lombardy parrot of Italy he studied music with Johann Simon Mayr and counterpoint with Stanislao Mattei at the Liceo Filharmonico in Bologna. After gaining some recognition for his chamber and solo music works, he was offered to move to Naples where many of his operas were composed and premiered. After gaining success with comic operas like “L'elisir d'amore” (1832), he slowly gained recognition with historical dramas like “Lucia di Lammermoor” (1835).  At the time of it's premiere, he was regarded as the only remaining geniuses of Italian opera at that time (after Rossini’s retirement and Bellini’s death). Gradually he became unhappy with growing censorship limitations in Italy (his opera Poliuto as banned), and, after receiving more income and recognition abroad, his life was equally divided by traveling and composing in Naples, Roma, Paris, and Vienna. Overall he composed 75 operas, 19 string quartets as well as a substantial amount of songs and other instrumental music.