Opera Daily: Rossini Wrap-up
Welcome to the Rossini wrap up. We covered a lot of ground over the last two weeks. If you missed any of the posts, you could find them here:
Intro to Rossini with a focus on opera buffa
Rossini’s later works with a focus on opera seria
Listening session with Michele and Heather where we talk Rossini
While I’ve been listening to Rossini for years, I learned some new things about him this month.
He wrote his roles for people, not voice types. That’s why you will often hear a soprano or mezzo-soprano singing the same roles (ie., Rosina in The Barber of Seville)
He was a talented composer and a shrewd businessman. It helped that he lived in Italy during the 19th century when every town had its own theater, its own singers, and its own orchestra, but while other composers like Mozart and Beethoven often struggled to make a living out of their art, Rossini was super successful.
Rossini is best known for his opera buffa (comic opera), but you could say that his opera seria (serious opera) is his best work.
A great composer makes music memorable, and Rossini has done that hundreds of times.
Rossini was a great melodic writer. Once you get beyond the flashy stuff, you will hear some of the most gorgeous melodies that were ever written.
Thank you Rossini, for all the gifts you have given us. We will be back to you soon, we promise.
Next month’s theme is The Three Queens.
Starting next Sunday, February 7th, we will cover Gaetano Donizetti’s Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda, and Roberto Devereux — operas based on the tragic histories of the Tudor Queens.
Here’s a teaser of the drama to come with these bel canto masterpieces.
This is the Act I finale from Donizetti's Maria Stuarda with Joyce DiDonato (Mary), Elza van den Heever (Elizabeth) and Matthew Polenzani (Leciester). In this excerpt, “Figlia impura di Bolena,” Queen Maria Stuarda insults Queen Elisabetta, calling her a whore and the impure daughter of Anne Boleyn. This makes Elisabetta mad as hell, who eventually sentences Maria to death. (If you are a fan of soprano, Montserrat Caballé here is her version of this dramatic moment.)
Thank you for listening and reading,
Michele
I did my best to get into the 1971 recording of "Semiramide", but failed. I was captivated, however, by an elegant production: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrY6XHdvQ6I&t=1136s) by Teatro La Fenice (https://www.teatrolafenice.it/en/la-fenice-foundation/visit-us/). The subtitles are in French, but never mind. The singing, acting, staging and costumes are pure drama. My opera knowledge is admittedly limited, but I'm gaining fluency each week. So, I hereby pronounce Joan Sutherland's performance of "Bel raggio luminghier" peerless. I challenge anyone - professional or amateur - to prove otherwise (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvZ-o0sgUHM). I promise to listen to any and all offerings!😀
I enjoyed the offerings for today's Rossini month finale. Now that I know he left us a treasure trove of operas, I look forward to finding both full productions online, and listening to famous artists who have interpreted his music. My first stop will be "Semiramide", because Joan Sutherland's bel canto style moves me. I suspect Rossini has long been a primer for every possible type of operatic voice. Hearing Maria Callas's soprano and Marilyn Horne's mezzo soprano, side-by-side, on "Una voce poco fa," was a good way to learn how to distinguish these voices. Speaking of which - dramatic, lyric, coloratura, mezzo - all describe the soprano voice. Yet, did I really read somewhere the term coloratura being applied to a tenor? And until I heard John Holiday on "The Voice" I had never heard of a "countertenor". I also am curious about the castrati, and what they did for art, willingly or not. Back to today, though, the clip of Arturo Toscanini conducting the overture from "Guillaume Tell" was a gem. He definitely was the G.O.A.T. in his day, wasn't he!?! Thomas Hampson singing "Largo al Factotum" was a special treat. I loved the campy introduction, too! How nice, after all these years, to know the real name of that aria!) You really sealed the deal, though, with the Spanish divas, Teresa Berganza (" L'italiana in Algeri") and Montserrat Caballé (“Figlia impura di Bolena”).
I'm excited for Gaetano Donizetti's operas about the Tudor Queens. I will brush up on my reading and documentary viewing in order to see how these herstories come to life in music.
Thank you so much, Heather, Michele (and let me add Nicole, too) for the work you've done to bring opera into our homes and workplaces. I'm here for it all!❤☮🌞💋