Donizetti’s Lost Opera: The World Premiere of Dalinda

In 1834 Naples, Gaetano Donizetti faced relentless challenges from Bourbon censorship while attempting to stage Lucrezia Borgia at Teatro San Carlo. Determined yet thwarted, he reimagined the opera as Dalinda, setting it during the Third Crusade in the Middle East. However, this reimagining shared the same fate as its predecessor, being shelved and forgotten for centuries.

Fast forward to the modern era, the lost manuscript of Dalinda resurfaced, offering a rare opportunity to reconstruct and bring this hidden gem to life. Thanks to Opera Co-Pro, this extraordinary opera found its way from Naples to Berlin, where its world semi-staged premiere took place in May 2023 at the Berliner Konzerthaus. This event was made possible through a groundbreaking collaboration involving opera organizations from Germany, the UK, Bulgaria, South Africa, Brazil, Italy, and the USA. Conducted by Felix Krieger and featuring a stellar cast—including Lidia Friedman, Luciano Ganci, and Paolo Bordogna—the performance captivated audiences and was live-recorded, now available on major streaming platforms like Spotify.

The Dalinda journey didn’t stop there. In September 2024, the opera had its world staged premiere in Cape Town, South Africa, graced by the presence of the Ministry of Culture. The production dazzled audiences with its thematic depth and musical brilliance, blending Western classical music with Arabic cultural elements. The event garnered enormous press coverage, including a feature in The New York Times.

Through Opera Co-Pro’s unique platform, the score of Dalinda has been made available to its members in an exclusive partnership with Ricordi, ensuring this masterpiece continues to inspire and connect the global opera community.

Dalinda stands as a testament to the power of international collaboration and Opera Co-Pro’s mission to unite performing arts organizations worldwide. This project not only revived a long-lost opera but also created a cultural bridge, blending historical narratives with contemporary relevance.