GIOACHINO ROSSINI GUILLAUME Nicola Alaimo Marina Rebeka Juan Diego Flórez TELL Amanda Forsythe Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna Conducted by Michele Mariotti Staged by Graham Vick GIOACHINO ROSSINI “Grand, cinematic opera, in wide-screen and Surround Sound” – this is GUILLAUME TELL how Germany’s daily Die Welt sees Rossini’s “Guillaume Tell” (1829) from the Rossini Opera Festival Pesaro. The renowned Festival has produced an Orchestra Orchestra del Teatro impressive staging of Rossini’s last opera, which is feared for its multitude Comunale di Bologna of high notes by all tenors singing the role of Arnold – except, perhaps, the Conductor Michele Mariotti phenomenal Juan Diego Flórez, “in a class of his own” (Deutschlandradio), Chorus Coro del Teatro who interprets this role here. Comunale di Bologna Chorus Master Andrea Faidutti The work is an early example of romantic French Grand Opera and with Stage Director Graham Vick its lavish musical writing and patriotic themes, the work itself set new musical and dramaturgical standards anticipating the music of Bellini, Donizetti, Meyerbeer, Verdi and even Wagner. After a performance of Guillaume Tell Nicola Alaimo the work, Wagner told Rossini: “You have written music for all times, Arnold Melcthal Juan Diego Flórez and that is the best.” At the Rossini Festival in Pesaro – whose solid Walter Furst Simón Orfila credentials include editions based on serious research and faithfulness to Melcthal Simone Alberghini the original – it is given in its original French version, and includes, besides Jemmy Amanda Forsythe the many great choruses, the beautiful, but often omitted ballet music. Gesler Luca Tittoto Rodolphe Alessandro Luciano The William Tell story goes back to Switzerland in 1307. Tell leads the Ruodi, pêcheur Celso Albelo Resistance against the oppressive Austrian official Gessler. Young Arnold, Leuthold/Un Chasseur Wojtek Gierlach meanwhile, is a Swiss patriot but loves the Austrian Princess Mathilde. When Mathilde Marina Rebeka Tell refuses to obey Gessler, the Austrian forces him to shoot an apple off his Hedwige Veronica Simeoni son’s head. Tell succeeds, but is jailed. Arnold picks up the torch of rebellion in spite of his love for Mathilde... Produced by Metisfilm Classica Video Director Tiziano Mancini British director Graham Vick interprets the conflict of the Habsburg oppressors and the oppressed Swiss as a class conflict, and the story of Length: approx. 210' the Swiss hero becomes the drama of a community’s resistance against a Shot in HDTV 1080/50i political, economic and military power. It is a timeless take on class struggles Cat. no. A00050013 captured in drastic and unforgettable images, such as the gigantic staircase that descends from the ceiling at the end, and that will show Tell’s son the way to a free future. A production of UNITEL in coproduction with Rossini Opera Festival and CLASSICA The singers in this “Guillaume Tell” are “cast outstandingly down into the tiniest supporting roles”, wrote Deutschlandradio. And, as Arnold, Juan Diego Flórez “masters his part with seemingly effortless perfection” (Austria’s leading daily Die Presse). Praise was also heaped upon the young conductor Michele Mariotti, who made the opera come to life with the orchestra of the Teatro Comunale di Bologna playing “with furor, grandeur and precision” (Deutschlandradio). World Sales: All rights reserved · credits not contractual · Different territories · Photos: © Studio Amati Bacciardi · Flyer: luebbeke.com Flyer: · Amati contractual Studio Bacciardi Different Photos: © territories credits · not rights · All reserved · Tel. +49.30.30306464 [email protected] Unitel GmbH & Co. KG, Germany · Tel. +49.89.673469-630 · [email protected] www.unitelclassica.com.