The original text to Alina was written for a ballet-heroique by Pierre-Alexandre Monsigny, and given at the Paris Opera in 1766. Felice Romani took the libretto, which was written by Michel-Jean Sedaine and based on a French novel, and turned it into an Italian operatic text. This is not a small feat, for it entailed turning a French prose form into Italian verses and aria opportunities. The story is actually a romantic comedy, with serious pathos, romantic intrigues, and gentle humor. It takes place in Provence, which gave Donizetti and Romani the opportunity to exploit local color and the ambiance of the region. The occasion for its composition was the opening of a new theater in Genoa. For the inauguration of the Teatro Carlo Felice, the authorities wanted operas by Donizetti, Rossini, Bellini, and Morlacchi. Rossini was unable to attend the festivities of the opening, but both his Il barbiere di Siviglia and his Otello were given during the course of the season. The opening night featured a choral work by Donizetti, and a staging of Bellini's Bianca e Fernando. In between the acts of the Bellini opera, a full scale ballet was given, which starred the prima donna ballerina Vague Moulin. She, and not Bellini's music, was the highlight of the evening, much to Bellini's dismay. Donizetti had his own concerns, for the singers were not of the highest caliber, and his Alina had only a week's worth of rehearsal. Nevertheless, the opening night on May 12 was a success and, although not all of the performances went well, the opera was a hit. Donizetti had expected an abysmal failure, and instead was awarded a modest triumph. The score contains many delightful beauties, characteristic ensembles, and a fine aria-finale for the soprano. The opera remained popular throughout the nineteenth century and was revived in the twentieth at Ravenna in 1987.

© Rita Laurance, Rovi