Giovanni Battista Belletti by King

Giovanni Battista Belletti (1813-1890); Italian baritone.
In 1838 he made his debut at the Royal Opera of Stockholm as Figaro in Rossini’s “Il barbiere di Siviglia”. One month after his debut, the famous soprano Jenny Lind (1820-1887) also made her debut at this opera house. Belletti remained at the Stockholm Opera until 1844 and in those years he performed many times together with Jenny Lind; the opera’s were always translated into Swedish. He also sang at several Swedish premières of international well known opera’s: as Enrico in “Lucia di Lammermoor” (1840), as Belcore in “L’elisir d’amore” (1840), as Valdeburgo in “La Straniera” (1841), as Oroveso in “Norma” (1841), as Marcel in “Les Huguenots” (1842), as Count Rodolfo in “La Sonnambula” (1843), as Gottardo in “La gazza ladra” (1843) and as Enrico VIII in “Anna Bolena” (1844). His artistic relationship with Jenny Lind highly influenced his career. In 1844 he returned to Italy, but when Jenny Lind was engaged in London, Belletti also was contracted in 1848 at Her Majesty’s Theatre on Lind’s advice. Here he made his first appearance as Silva in “Ernani” (with Sofia Cruvelli). In 1850/52 he was engaged with Jenny Lind and Julius Benedict by Barnum, for a tour in the United States; a tour that brought both singers triumphant successes. Returned once more to London he remained there until 1862, singing not only at the Opera, but also in classical concerts and oratorios.