maria stuarda is an italian opera in three acts by gaetano donizetti, libretto by giuseppe bardari, after friedrich schiller's play "maria stuarda". it was first performed in naples, on october 19,1835, under the name of "buondelmont" due to censorship problems, and in its original version in milan, on december 30, 1835. one of donizetti's finest work, it is notable for the confrontation scene between queen mary and queen elizabeth i of england, which in real life never took place. it was heartbreaking. the sopranolater became famous and well loved.