Italian composer, born in Catania, Sicily. Domenico Barbaja, the director of the San Carlo Opera in Naples and of La Scala in Milan, he was one of the greatest composer of Bel Canto in 1800. He begun his studies with his grandfather, who was an organist, and thanks to the help of a nobleman from Sicily, he continued them at the Conservatory in Naples.
His first opera performed in Naples in 1825, captured the interest of the impresario domenico barbaja, who launched his musical carreer. In 1825- 1826 Bellini wrote Bianca e Gernando in Naples for barbaja, who gave him the task of another work for the following year. In Milan at La Scala theater, with Il Pirata, Bellini earned in short time an international fame. Bellini's vocals and Rossini's vivacity joined together gave the opera a new age of lyricism. Bellini consolidated his new style in the other eight operas. I Capuleti e i Montecchi (Venezia, 1830), based on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, had a great success, thanks also to the nice voice of soprano Giuditta Pasta. With La Sonnambula (Milano, 1832), Bellini created, for the protagonist, a vocal soprano role that became very popular. La Norma (Milano 1831) was one of the most appreciated Bellini's opera. The part of the protagonist represents even today a virtuoso test for a dramatic soprano. Bellini's last materpiece, I Puritani, was written for the Theater degli Italiani in Paris.