Gioachino Rossini and Gaetano Donizetti: The Economics of Belcanto

Some countries considered opera as an industrial activity that allowed entrepreneurs, librettists, singers, and composers to obtain sufficient financial resources to maintain a certain standard of living. This possibility was taken advantage of by Rossini and Donizetti, who carried out their activities in the most prestigious theatres of European cities, which allowed them to achieve fame and high salaries. But they also earned complementary income in other activities besides composing operas, such as theatre management and financial activities. In addition to these topics, the chapter also considers the factors that could cause an opera to fail, which damaged the composer's prestige and could complicate the negotiation of future contracts. In particular, two factors are considered. On the one hand, the audience and the role of the claqueurs and, on the other, the press. Finally, the financial situation that Rossini and Donizetti achieved throughout their lives is estimated.