Il Castello di Kenilworth is the first of several serious operas by Donizetti which were based on stories from English history. The libretto is by Andrea Leone Tottola, and based on two previous libretti which set the same tale, one by Gaetano Barbieri, and another by the French librettist Eugene Scribe. These, in turn, were based on a Walter Scott novel. After Bellini's success with Il Pirata, Donizetti composed a series of serious works. He did not imitate Bellini, but drew on Rossinian rhetorical traditions and forms, and worked on developing his own tragic musical language. Il Castello di Kenilworth is the first of several of his serious operas which feature two equal prima donnas in constant conflict. The plot is highly melodramatic, but gave Donizetti an opportunity to characterize Queen Elizabeth in strong musical terms. He is directly indebted to Rossini's characterization of her in his opera Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra. The highlight of this opera is the quartet finale of Act II, which is both vigorous and imaginative. The occasion for the premiere of Il Castello was a gala celebration for the Queen of Naples, held at the Teatro San Carlo on July 6, 1829. Because another queen is portrayed in the work, the opera had to have a happy ending, and the librettist provided a typical lieto fine. Elizabeth relents, rather than exacting revenge against her rival in love, and thus proves herself to be a wise and magnanimous ruler. This gave Donizetti an opportunity for some pageantry at the end, in which all of the cast gives thanks for having such a queen. This was Donizetti paying direct homage to the Queen of Naples. The opera was not a huge success, and although Donizetti himself believed in the work, he eventually gave up on it.

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