The prolific and versatile Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti, one of the central figures of Italian bel canto opera, also wrote around 200 songs. Most of them are rarely performed and some, until recently, completely unknown. Curated by musicologist Roger Parker and under the leadership of Opera Rara’s artistic director Carlo Rizzi, Opera Rara presents the complete solo songs in a series of eight recital albums.

The project makes a powerful case for Donizetti as a key figure in 19th-century song repertoire, and for the importance of the Italian school in a field long dominated by German and French composers.

These two albums are the first in a series of 8 recordings to be released between now and spring 2026.