 For his part, Bellini admired "the sonorous and elegance of the poet's verses"

The collaboration began in May 1827 and, by August, the music was being written.By then, the composer was aware that he was to write music for his favourite tenor Giovanni Battista Rubini and the soprano was to be Henriette Méric-Lalande.Both singers had starred in "Bianca e Fernando" in the original 1826 production.