# How well do you know Rossini?



## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

Prompted by Itullian's thread, where Rossini is underperforming.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I just voted "Maybe a handful more" and can say that Rossini is not at the top of my list for Italian operas. I once went crazy on Barber of Seville and now have probably close to 2 dozen sets on CD and numerous DVDs, but then tired of it. But I admit I have not explored very many of Rossini's operas and my collection only represents 12 of his operas, many of which I have only listened to once or twice.


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## Guest (Aug 26, 2018)

I know and love a number of Rossini operas, a few of the most famous ones but also some of the lesser known ones.


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

between the 3rd and 4th option


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

I'm between 2 and 3. I have recordings of *Il Barbiere di Siviglia*, *Il Turco in Italia*, *L'Italiana in Algeri*, *La Cenerentola*, *Semiramide*, *Armida* and *Guillaume Tell* and have heard a few others.

I've always preferred Bellini and Donizetti, though.


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

I love operas like "Tancredi", "La donna del lago", "Semiramide",... I have listened most of his other operas, and have attended a couple of seminars on Rossini by the late Alberto Zedda... So, I belong to the 'Most / all his operas; have read widely about him; and have gone / want to go to Pesaro' category.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

GregMitchell said:


> I'm between 2 and 3. I have recordings of *Il Barbiere di Siviglia*, *Il Turco in Italia*, *L'Italiana in Algeri*, *La Cenerentola*, *Semiramide*, *Armida* and *Guillaume Tell* and have heard a few others.
> 
> I've always preferred Bellini and Donizetti, though.


I am in a similar position with a few variations on my Rossini collection (not have Semiramide or Armida), and perhaps a few more of his operas that I have hardly spun. I do much agree with your statement on Bellini and Donizetti. In fact, here is what I have on CD (those I know well enough that I could tell you about them are in bold):

*Barber of Seville* (of course)
*Cenerentola*
Corinth
Elisabetta Regina
La Donna Del Lago
L'italiana in Algeri
Matrimonio La cambiale di (what is this??? can't say Ive listened to it or where I got it from)
Moses
Tancredi
*Thieving Magpie*
*Turco in Italia* (only know this because of DVD, and don't care for this one really.
Viaggio a Reims


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

I've only got _Il Barbiere di Siviglia_, _La Cenerentola_ and his setting of _Stabat Mater_. For years I've been meaning to order one of his serious operas but just haven't got around to it.


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## ldiat (Jan 27, 2016)

i also know about the food dish named after him and the story!!:tiphat:


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

elgars ghost said:


> I've only got _Il Barbiere di Siviglia_, _La Cenerentola_ and his setting of _Stabat Mater_. For years I've been meaning to order one of his serious operas but just haven't got around to it.


Tancredi with Kasorova and Mei is awesome and comes with alternate happy ending, so you can play it either way. Also has a couple appendix tracks illustrating something that I maybe don't undestand bc I don't understand music theory or whatever. But a great set and 3 disks bc of extra material, also Kasarova is an awesome mezzo:


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## Robert Thomas (Dec 3, 2015)

I bought The Barber of Seville on DVD and will probably never listen to it again. I just don’t like the music or the story. 
Also I don’t like Cecilia Bartoli, Who sings Rosina. Is it just me or do others find her voice a bit harsh.


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

I like Barber, L'Italiana, Cenerentola, and Tell.
I listen to L'Italiana the most 
I think Tell is a true masterpiece.

I started listening to opera with these.
But then I heard Lohengrin.........


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Fritz Kobus said:


> Tancredi with Kasorova and Mei is awesome and comes with alternate happy ending, so you can play it either way. Also has a couple appendix tracks illustrating something that I maybe don't undestand bc I don't understand music theory or whatever. But a great set and 3 disks bc of extra material, also Kasarova is an awesome mezzo:


As it happens, _Tancredi_ was the one work I had more in mind than anything else. Thanks for the recommendation, FK.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

In recent years I only listen to non-opera Rossini (not much of that either).


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Robert Thomas said:


> I bought The Barber of Seville on DVD and will probably never listen to it again. I just don't like the music or the story.
> Also I don't like Cecilia Bartoli, Who sings Rosina. Is it just me or do others find her voice a bit harsh.


I have watched a lot of Barber of Seville DVDs. Here are some very good ones. You can check them out on You Tube. The Presto Classical listings often have a video clip too.



















This one has the best drunken-soldier routine of any I have watched:


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

elgars ghost said:


> As it happens, _Tancredi_ was the one work I had more in mind than anything else. Thanks for the recommendation, FK.


I first heard Tancredi watching this video which is a good performance. As I recall, it has the tragic ending, and then the conductor does the happy ending at the end, it is not seamless if you just want the happy ending, but at least both are there.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

BalalaikaBoy said:


> between the 3rd and 4th option


Me too.

I've seen Barbiere, L'italiana, Cenerentola, Turco in Italia, Semiramide, Donna del lago, Gazza ladra, Comte d'Ory, Mathilde di Shabran, Guillaume Tell, Adina and Ricciardo e Zoraide. Other operas that I have recordings of are Tancredi, Ermione, Elisabetta, Otello, Armida, Moise, Viaggio a Reims, Zelmira and Moise et Pharaon. So I'm not a novice.

I went to Pesaro for the first time this year and it awakened an interest to get to know more Rossini operas (especially the Naples ones and the French rewrites). So I am looking at getting a recording of Maometto II and listening to it's French rewrite Le siege de Corinthe.

N.


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## mountmccabe (May 1, 2013)

I had a litter of four foster kittens that I named after Rossini arias.

Largo (al factotum) was bold, (Si, ritro-) Varla was small and cute; she was going to be (Bel) Raggio (lusinghier) or (Sombre) Forêt but then I saw Javier Camarena as Ramiro so Varla won out. I really liked Tanti (Affetti), and like most of the crew he almost died and when I saw the Live in HD of _La donna del lago_ I got choked up when that theme was played. (Una) Volta (c'era un re) isn't much of an aria, but it made a good kitten name, and we even ended up keeping her. As with most mornings, after my alarm went off she came and laid down on my face.

The other three were adopted out to people we didn't know, so I don't know if they kept their names.

_La Cenerentola_ is the only Rossini opera I have seen live in the house; one time it was exceptional, the other it was fine. I attended Live in HD performances of _La donna del lago_ and _Semiramide_; I loved the former and found the latter rather boring. I know _Guillaume Tell_ and _Il barbiere di Siviglia_ reasonably well.

But mostly I like his music more than his full operas. There are great overtures and arias, and I also quite like his string sonatas and other chamber music.


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

Thanks, guys! I was surprised by Rossini's low ranking in Itullian's poll, and wondered if people voting only knew his big four or five. The comic operas are delightful, and deservedly popular, but the level of musical imagination in the Naples operas is astonishing. Works like _Zelmira_, _Matilde di Shabran_, and _Ricciardo e Zoraide_, though - maybe even _Maometto II_, _Ermione_, and _Mosè in Egitto_ - are overshadowed by _Barber _and _Cenerentola_!


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

NickFuller said:


> Thanks, guys! I was surprised by Rossini's low ranking in Itullian's poll, and wondered if people voting only knew his big four or five. The comic operas are delightful, and deservedly popular, but the level of musical imagination in the Naples operas is astonishing. Works like _Zelmira_, _Matilde di Shabran_, and _Ricciardo e Zoraide_, though - maybe even _Maometto II_, _Ermione_, and _Mosè in Egitto_ - are overshadowed by _Barber _and _Cenerentola_!


That is probably my bias, knowing mostly his comic operas. I get a sickly feeling from it like as eating too much sugar and turn to Bellini and Donizetti.


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## PlaySalieri (Jun 3, 2012)

Robert Thomas said:


> I bought The Barber of Seville on DVD and will probably never listen to it again. I just don't like the music or the story.
> *Also I don't like Cecilia Bartoli, *Who sings Rosina. Is it just me or do others find her voice a bit harsh.


Gargly singing style - cant stand watching her or listening


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

stomanek said:


> Gargly singing style - cant stand watching her or listening


turn the volume off, instead of gargly singing, you can watch gargoyle facial expressions. :lol:

P.S. I do like Cecilia, though she is very facially animated when singing.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

I know Rossini quite well. We used to have lunch at least once a month but he has called off quite a lot in the last century and a half. Perhaps it was something I said!!


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

I've been listening to Zelmira on YouTube after watching the Blu Ray of Florez in Pesaro. I've enjoyed the music to this one more each time I've listened to it and the Opera Rara recording is now on my Amazon list. I really like Ermione too. Rossini is my latest opera crush!

N.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

The Conte said:


> I've been listening to Zelmira on YouTube after watching the Blu Ray of Florez in Pesaro. I've enjoyed the music to this one more each time I've listened to it and the Opera Rara recording is now on my Amazon list. I really like Ermione too. Rossini is my latest opera crush!
> 
> N.


Can be a very expensive one.


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## Belowpar (Jan 14, 2015)

Barbebleu said:


> I know Rossini quite well. We used to have lunch at least once a month but he has called off quite a lot in the last century and a half. Perhaps it was something I said!!


Wow! That's amazing, I love food. Was he as much of a gourmand as reputed?


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## Belowpar (Jan 14, 2015)

Ahh Rossini, it is tempting to throw the ‘wonderful moments and awful quarter hours’ back at him! Many a true word…and all that.

Whilst Figaro never disappoints, the above thought comes to mind more often than it should. And at times his style and mannerisms work against the drama, as some tropes (Like the swelling pace of an Orchestra) draw attention more to the author than they serve to develop the character or really advance the plot. They often amuse more as collections of lovely trifles than full dramatic meals.

That said, I will continue to seek out more of his Operas (currently seen 11) and will go back to new productions to see if they make more sense of the drama. 

As to where he currently stands with me. Currently more excited by Donizetti and Bellini who fall behind the canon of Mozart, Puccini, Verdi and Wagner. Would pass if offered the chance for a new Offenbach.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Belowpar said:


> Wow! That's amazing, I love food. Was he as much of a gourmand as reputed?


Oh, he only ever nibbled at a few breadsticks and the occasional oyster. We basically drank until we fell down! That's where I gave him the idea for 'Beva con me' that he used in Otello! Ah, happy days, happy days. Oh wait, that was my nights drinking with Verdi. Rossini was a moderate drinker at best. But he was fond of apples and he could really handle a crossbow. Must lay off the Bellinis, I'm confusing my Italian composers. :lol:


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

A few overtures, but that's it.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Le siege de Corinthe is fantastic!

N.


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