Get to Know Gioachino Rossini

Welcome to CODA! Coda comes from the Latin word for “tail,” and in music, it indicates an additional passage at the end of a piece of music, a final flourish that compliments what’s come before. CODA goes beyond the curtain call to explore this unique and astonishing art form. Whether you’re a first-time opera-goer or a seasoned audience member, CODA is for you. Biweekly, we’ll enhance your experience of opera with behind-the-scenes highlights, educational articles, listening lists, and much, much more! ???

The cast and creative team of La Cenerentola are hard at work, and our rehearsal halls are filled with laughter, high notes, and sparkling coloratura. There’s nothing not to like about spending a month with the music of one of opera’s greatest stars: Gioachino Rossini.?

Rossini is most known for his operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano pieces, and some sacred music. Though he retired from large-scale composition while still in his thirties - at the height of his popularity - his work set many standards for both comic and serious opera. Opera fans know Rossini best for his Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), but with a whopping 39(!!!) operas under his belt, there is so much more to explore.?

This week, let’s go beyond the Barber, and get to know the great Gioachino Rossini.?

Bel canto 101

We cannot talk about Rossini without talking about bel canto. The phrase literally means “beautiful singing,” and is often used to describe the early decades of 19th-century Italian opera, when Rossini dominated the field alongside Vincenzo Bellini and Gaetano Donizetti. Bel canto can also refer to the Italian-originated vocal style that prevailed throughout most of Europe during the 18th and 19th century, remaining the vocal standard until around 1840. This technique valued smooth production, or legato, throughout the entire vocal range, with a seamless and even tone through the low to middle to high registers.?

The singing style and music of this period requires the ability to effortlessly execute all manner of vocal fireworks -?rapid-fire runs (called fioratura), trills, extended cadenzas, and other embellishments. In bel canto works, the drama comes from the human voice, and the orchestra is often little more than a beautiful accompaniment. There are both great tragic and comic bel canto operas, and they are made up of traditional Italian operatic forms, such as the cavatina and cabaletta aria form, when a slow lyrical section is quickly followed by a faster vocal showpiece.?

After bel canto opera went out of style in the 1840’s, it was largely neglected for a hundred years or so, until the middle of the 20th century, when Maria Callas (and others) began exploring these works for their expressive musical and dramatic potential.

Essential bel canto listening:?

Il dolce suono (Lucia’s Mad Scene) from Lucia di Lammermoor ?by Gaetano Donizetti?

Casta diva from Norma by Vincenzo Bellini?

Largo al factotum from Il barbiere di Siviglia by Gioachino Rossini?

Make ‘em laugh?

In 1822, Gioachino Rossini got a bit of advice from Ludwig van Beethoven: Stick to comedy. "So you’re the composer of The Barber of Seville." Beethoven said. "I congratulate you. It will be played as long as Italian opera exists. Never try to write anything else but opera buffa [comic opera]; any other style would do violence to your nature." Never mind that Rossini already had several well-received serious titles under his belt at the time (more on those later).?

Despite the beauty of his opera seria, Rossini is still best known for his comedies. And for good reason - very few composers have written as successfully in the genre. His three biggest comedies - Il barbiere di Siviglia, La Cenerentola, and L’italiana in Algeri - are staples of the operatic canon, and are still among some of the most-performed operas. In his operas, the comedy is not just in the words and situations but in his gorgeous and challenging music.The great innovation of Rossini’s comic operas is the way each character’s personality is reflected in the music they sing. In Cenerentola, you’ll hear lightning-fast patter for the blustering Don Magnifico, ornamented fireworks from the flamboyant Dandini, and heart-melting melodies from Angelina (Cinderella herself)! These distinct musical personalities are what make Rossini’s music perfect for cartoons like The Rabbit of Seville.??

Essential listening:?

Act I finale of L'Italiana in Algeri

Non piu mesta from La Cenerentola?

Act I finale of Il barbiere di Siviglia

Seria-ous business

But Rossini wasn’t all laughs! At the height of his fame, he was better known for his opera seria. In the realm of this operatic genre, characterized by its serious and dramatic themes, Rossini's works stood out for their intricate musicality and emotional depth. His creations were characterized by elaborate arias, duets, and ensembles, showcasing the vocal prowess of the performers. Rossini expertly blended this grandeur with the intricate emotions of the characters, creating a harmonious fusion of both music and drama. In Rossini’s serious operas, listeners will hear a steady expansion of the power and scope of his finales, the impact of the chorus, and a harmonic and instrumental boldness not as present in his comedies. Works like Semiramide, Guillaume Tell, Otello, and Tancredi may be currently underrepresented on the operatic stage, but if you have an opportunity to see one of these rare gems, see it! You’ll be pleasantly surprised.?

Essential Listening:?

Bel raggio lusingher from Semiramide

Overture from Guillaume Tell?

Ah, vieni, nel tuo sangue from Otello

What’s your favorite Rossini opera? Let us know in the comments!?

Join us for a magical evening of music, comedy, and romance! La Cenerentola plays November, 8, 10, and 12 at the Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre.?

We are proud to announce our 2023/24 mainstage season: Madama Butterfly, La Cenerentola (Cinderella), The Anonymous Lover, and Eurydice. Join us for a season that explores the power, depth, and complexity of our most human of emotions: love.

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