Why did Gaetano Donizetti’s operas largely disappear from the repertory by 1914?

By 1914, the operas of Gaetano Donizetti had largely disappeared from the standard repertory because they were overshadowed by the more substantial masterpieces of Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner.1

This decline was closely linked to broader shifts in operatic performance and vocal style. During the 19th century, composers like Wagner and Verdi developed larger, more complex orchestral scores that required singers to adopt a more powerful, dramatic method of vocal production known as "singing on resonance". This trend moved away from the bel canto style—which emphasized vocal agility, smooth tone, and ornamentation—toward a heavier, more emphatic approach. As these new, demanding styles became the norm, the delicate and florid requirements of Donizetti’s works were increasingly viewed as outdated or "frippery," leading them to fall out of favor until their mid-20th-century revival.23