New romantic production on original instruments

fter having successfully programmed Rossini’s first “opera seria” Trancredi last summer, we continue Rossini’s opera cycle with L’Italiana in Algeri. This work is considered as Rossini’s first true opera buffa, composed in Venice just after Tancredi, a huge triumph when premiered in Venice and later all over Europe. Rossini even said: “I thought that the Venitians would consider me as crazy after having listened to my opera. Now it seems that they are even crazier than me.” L’Italiana has quickly become so successful that music boxes playing the cavatina “Languir per una bella” have been produced. The libretto taken from the legend about Roxane and Soliman is eminently modern and gives women victory over men’s stupidity and pride. Three suitors are charmed by the beautiful Italian Isabella: bass voice Mustafa, the bey of Algiers, baritone voice Taddeo, the uncle, and young tenor Lindoro, in love with Isabella. The music is captivating, especially the overture and its beginning pianissimo, its sforzati, its crescendi and its irresistible accelerandi or the famous aria of Isabelle “Cruda sorte !” in Act 1. After their performance last summer with Tancredi we invited again singers Teresa Iervolino, Sylvia Schwartz, Matthew Newlin and Luigi de Donato.