Chapter 56 Opera in Italy: Rossini and Verdi

Lecture Overview Italian opera at the end of the 18th century Gioachino Rossini: –life and works –The Barber of Seville, Act 1, No. 1 (Introduzione) Italian opera after Rossini Giuseppe Verdi: –life and works –Otello, Act 4, scene 3 Review

The Life of Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868) 1792 born in Pesaro, Italy; attends conservatory in Bologna 1815 begins career as opera composer 1816 composes The Barber of Seville 1824 moves to Paris 1829 retires from the stage, travels between France and Italy 1868 dies in a Paris suburb

Principal Compositions by Gioachino Rossini Operas (selected): –Tancredi –L’italiana in Algeri (The Italian in Algiers) –Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) –La gazza ladra (The Thieving Magpie) –Semiramide –Le Comte Ory (Count Ory, French) –Guillaume Tell (William Tell, French) Chorus: pieces include Masses, Stabat mater

Principal Characters in Rossini’s The Barber of Seville Count Almaviva (tenor) –the hero, a young count visiting Seville, smitten by Rosina Rosina (soprano, originally mezzo-soprano) –a young woman living in Seville Dr. Bartolo (bass) –a doctor, guardian of Rosina Figaro (baritone) –a local barber Basilio (bass) –Rosina’s music teacher

Gioachino Rossini, The Barber of Seville, 1816, Act 1, No. 1 (Introduzione) Ternary form 199

The Life of Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901) 1813 born in village of Roncole in Italy, attends school in nearby Busseto 1832 Milan to study, but soon returns to Busseto 1839 moves again to Milan to advance operatic career; Oberto performed at La Scala 1842 Nabucco scores first great success and begins period of travel 1853 moves to Paris 1887 comes out of retirement to compose Otello and Falstaff 1901 dies in Milan

Principal Compositions by Giuseppe Verdi Operas include –Nabucco –Ernani –Luisa Miller –Rigoletto –Il trovatore –La traviata –Simon Boccanegra –Un ballo in maschera –La forza del destino –Don Carlos (versions in French and Italian) –Aida –Otello –Falstaff Chorus: works include the Requiem and Four Sacred Pieces

Principal Characters in Verdi’s Otello Otello (Othello, tenor) –a Moorish general commanding troops in Cyprus Iago (baritone) and Cassio (tenor) –Othello’s officers Desdemona (soprano) –Othello’s wife Emilia (mezzo-soprano) –Desdemona’s servant, wife of Iago

Giuseppe Verdi, Otello, 1887, Act 4, scene 3 (Murder Scene) Through-composed form

Review Key Terms simple recitative impresario introduction (as an operatic number) cavatina (in Rossini’s operas) stretta Rossini crescendo Teatro alla Scala Risorgimento brindisi scene preghiera