Belisario

Belisario (Belisarius) is a tragedia lirica, or opera, in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. Salvadore Cammarano wrote the Italian libretto after Luigi Marchionni's adaptation of Eduard von Schenk's play. The plot is loosely based on the life of the famous general Belisarius of the 6th century Byzantine Empire. It premiered to critical and popular success on 4 February 1836 at the Teatro La Fenice, Venice, and was given an additional 17 performances that season
The opera's popularity continued through the 19th century, with stagings in 31 cities both in Europe and America.. It's first performance in London took place on 1 April 1837, but it only reached the United States on 29 July 1843 in Phildelphia and later in New York on 14 February 1844.