Vivica Genaux, Pittsburgh Opera Dramma giocoso and Musical Jokes as Isabella, Education thanks our “Nothing demonstrates more clearly his emancipation from is an aviatrix eighteenth-century Italian operatic practice, his innovative genius and generous supporters: along the lines of the purely musical basis of much of his humour than this opportunistic Alcoa Foundation Allegheny Regional Asset District Amelia Earhart in a reworking of Angelo Annelli's libretto for L'italiana in Algeri.” glamorous production Richard Osborne American Eagle Outfitters Foundation Bayer from Santa Fe Opera. The Italian Girl in Algiers is a frothy, wacky, comic opera Bobby Rahal Motorcar Company In this sparkling 1930s from its overture to the finales of both acts. Considering BRIDGES & Company, Inc. period production, the commedia-like comic situations, the glistening use of Frick Fund of the Buhl Foundation Buncher Family Foundation Isabella crash-lands coloratura, the extended crescendos that build to Anne L. & George H. Clapp Charitable Trust an airplane along improbable climaxes, and the rapid-fire patter sequences, Dominion Foundation the Algerian coast Rossini deliberately planned hilarity in the music. Eat’n Park Hospitality Group in Act I, then Eaton Corporation escapes during the Dramma giocoso per musica, or jocular drama, refers Eden Hall Foundation Libretto by Angelo Anelli Act II finale via to the text and the grand buffo scenes used as dramatic Equitable Resources Foundation a hot air balloon. climaxes at the ends of acts. The Act I finale is a Fidelity Investments The Grable Foundation In between, the masterpiece of tension and humor, as the seven The Guilds of Pittsburgh Opera wacky action singers grow increasingly confused and agitated. The Henry E. Haller, Jr. Foundation unfolds on an ELVIRA Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield In my head I have a bell, loudly ringing ding, ding, ding! Jensen Foundation enchanting by Gaia Servadio by Gaia ISABELLA, ZULMA Martha Mack Lewis Foundation storybook that My head's a sounding bell, loudly ringing ding, ding, ding! McCreery Fund of The Buhl Foundation opens and closes! Minnesota Opera production photo by Michal Daniel LINDORO, ALI in Algeri) (L’italiana In my head a hammer's beating, striking loudly, ta, ta, ta! Rossini National Endowment for the Arts TADDEO Pennsylvania Council on the Arts I am like a crow that's plucked, crying caw, caw, caw! Pennsylvania Department of Community & , and “Rossini Fever” in a Changing Europe MUSTAFÀ Economic Development Like a shot out of a cannon my head goes boom, boom, boom! Pennsylvania Department of Education The Pittsburgh Foundation Gioachino Rossini was born on February 29, 1792 in Pesaro, a small port Character types, familiar from the commedia tradition, The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. on the east coast of Italy that was then a part of the Papal States. During instantly clue the audience that Mustafà will be a PPG Industries, Inc. Music by Gioachino Rossini • his youth, Rossini witnessed the turmoil of a changing Europe—the blustering and lascivious old man, that Lindoro will be Reed Smith LLP The Italian Girl in Algiers French Revolution was in progress, King Louis XVI was sent to the handsome and faithful, and that Isabella will be both The Techs guillotine, and Napoleon Bonaparte commanded the French army in Italy. Triangle Tech beautiful and smart. Because their behaviors are UPMC Health System The little town of Pesaro was governed by changing foreign powers. predictable, Rossini could craft the music to enhance US Steel Corporation While his musician parents were away performing, the little boy Rossini comedic situations rather than develop character. was left in the care of his grandmother. Because Rossini had a fine treble For more information on voice, his parents considered surgery for him to preserve it into manhood Coloratura passages—elaborate ornamentation and Pittsburgh Opera's education as a castrato. Instead, Rossini began academic and musical training in vocal melismas on one syllable—create comic effect programs, please contact: Bologna, and by 18 made his professional debut as an opera composer. The Cambridge Companion to Rossini Companion The Cambridge because of their mocking, exaggerated delivery. When Mustafà sings sixty notes in several measures on the Marilyn Michalka Egan, Ph.D. Director of Education Within three years, Rossini designated himself a word "arrogance", the incongruity is downright funny. [email protected] maestro di cartello, a composer whose name alone 412-281-0912 ext 242 Crescendo, a signature device of Rossini's, involves guarantees an audience. During 1813, he oversaw repeated phrases, increased volume, thickening Kristin Gatch the staging of Il Signor Bruschino, Tancredi, and Manager of Education Programs L'italiana in Algeri in Venice, plus Aureliano in texture, and layered melodies. The composer was so [email protected] 412-281-0912 ext 227 Palmira in Milan. The first of Rossini's operas to skilled at using louder and louder passages to heighten Opera Study Guide, c hold a firm place in the repertory, L'italiana was the humor that he was known as "Signor Crescendo". Linda Giebel Education Programs Associate based on the popular legend of Roxelane, slave girl Patter passages feature a humorous text sung very [email protected] of Suleiman the Magnificent, and appealed to the rapidly. Rossini must have enjoyed setting the silly 412-281-0912 ext 229 prevailing taste for things oriental. With successive Pittsburgh Opera Pappataci trio in Act II at breakneck speed. triumphs Il barbiere di Siviglia and La Cenerentola, Gioachino Rossini 2425 Liberty Avenue “Rossini fever” took the continent by storm. By the (1792—1868) Pittsburgh, PA 15222 Guide to the Opera Study Rossini has served up a deliciously funny opera plot time he visited Paris, Vienna, and London, he was Give me a laundry-list www delivered via musical jokes. Enjoy! .pittsburghopera.org and I'll set it to music. Resources: Boston Lyri Boston Resources: probably the most famous man of the age. The Italian Girl in Algiers Synopsis Characters of the Opera ACT II: Elvira and members of the court are discussing how easily the Italian woman has cowed Mustafà, giving In 1813, impresario Giovanni Gallo asked Rossini to provide a new opera for Venice a month before the Isabella [ee-zah-BELL-ah] mezzo-soprano Elvira hope of regaining his love. When Mustafà enters, however, he declares he will visit Isabella in her room for scheduled premier. The 21-year-old toast of operatic Italy recycled Angelo Anelli’s L’italiana in Algeri The Italian girl; she wrecks her plane libretto, which had been set to music by Luigi Mosca in 1808. Rossini composed the dramma giocoso per on the coast of Algiers during a search coffee. She comes out of her room, upset because Lindoro musica and its extensive overture in only 27 days, without indulging in self-borrowing. for her love Lindoro. apparently broke faith with her by agreeing to escape with Elvira. Lindoro appears and reassures her of his loyalty; ACT I: In Algiers, at the seaside palace of the bey Mustafà, his wife Elvira complains that her Lindoro [leen-DOH-roh] tenor Isabella promises a scheme for their freedom. After husband no longer loves her; her attendants reply there is nothing she can do. Mustafà bursts in. Young Italian in love with Isabella; Lindoro leaves too, Mustafà reappears, followed by Asserting he will not let women get the better of him, he sends Elvira away because she complains. favorite slave of Mustafà. attendants with the terrified Taddeo, who is to be honored Mustafà has tired of his wife and will give her to Lindoro, a young Italian at the court, to marry. Then as the bey's personal bodyguard, in exchange for helping he orders Ali, a captain in his service, to provide him an Italian woman—someone more interesting Mustafà [mus-tah-FAH] bass secure Isabella's affections. Dressed in Turkish garb, he than the “boring” girls in his harem. Lindoro longs for his own sweetheart, Isabella, whom he lost (or Mustapha) The bey, or governor, of sees no choice but to accept the compulsory honor. when pirates captured him. Mustafà tells him he can have Elvira, insisting she possesses every Algiers; his historical title would have virtue that Lindoro values. been dey instead of bey. In her apartment, Isabella prepares for Mustafà's visit, telling Elvira that the way to keep her husband is to be Elsewhere along the shore, a wreck is spied, and Ali's Taddeo [tah-DAY-oh] baritone more assertive. As she completes her toilette, Isabella pirates exult. Isabella arrives on shore, lamenting the Older companion of Isabella; she keeps Mustafà waiting, as her "servant" Lindoro acts as a cruelty of a fate that has interrupted her quest for her lost identifies him as her uncle to prevent go-between. At last she presents herself to the bey, who fiancé, Lindoro. Though in danger, she is confident of her him from becoming a slave. introduces Taddeo as his bodyguard. Mustafà sneezes—a skill in taming men. The pirates seize Taddeo, an aging signal for Taddeo to leave—but Taddeo stays, and admirer of Isabella's, and try to sell him into slavery, but Elvira [el-VEER-ah] soprano Isabella invites Elvira to stay for coffee, to Mustafà's he claims he is Isabella's uncle and cannot leave her. The wife of Mustafà; she is saddened displeasure. When Isabella insists that he treat his wife When the Algerians learn that both captives are Italian, because he no longer loves her. gently, Mustafà bursts out in annoyance, while the others they rejoice in having found the new star for Mustafà's wonder what to make of his fulminations. harem. Taddeo is stunned at Isabella’s aplomb on hearing Zulma [DZOOL-mah] mezzo-soprano Elsewhere in the palace, Ali predicts that his master is no the news, and they quarrel, but decide they had better Slave, confidante of Elvira.