# Barber of Seville, L'Italiana in Algeri, La Cenerentola..................



## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Which of these 3 Rossini comedies is your favorite or think is the best of the 3? I love them. 
:tiphat:


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

_L'Italiana Cenerentola di Siviglia_ 

There is no way that I could or would try to rank them, they are all gems, different but equally beautiful.


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## Camillorf (Jul 18, 2014)

I love them all, but for me it would be a toss up between Barbiere and Cenerentola, depending on my mood. I think Barbiere is more fun and can genuinely make me laugh if done properly, but I love Cenerentola's storyline and the end can be quite moving.


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## Bruce (Jan 2, 2013)

*Barbiere*

I'd have to go with Barber, but will also admit I have not yet heard Cenerentola. (That will be remedied in the next couple of months, though). Bariere is really a wonderful opera, though I have heard recordings which I would avoid, since they give me brain fever.


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## The nose (Jan 14, 2014)

I vote for Cenerentola. It's simply so well written.
Una volta c'era un re...


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

The nose said:


> Una volta c'era un re...


Oh, come on, I knew someone would remember this one...  How about _Pace e gioia_ then, eh?

Can't vote for any one in particular - all three operas are brilliant!!!


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## The nose (Jan 14, 2014)

^^^^In fact i had in mind the onomatopeic passage of Don Magnifico but it was to hard to write


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## Belowpar (Jan 14, 2015)

I’m at a bit of a loss as to why, but I find Cenerentola has the least sparkle and Rossinian joie de vivre. I have seen two productions and the film with the cartoon interpolations, but it rarely seems to ignite. There’s a wonderful excerpt on the Youtube thread and I’m beginning to think it must be me.



The Barber is very special.


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## The nose (Jan 14, 2014)

In fact that's exactly why i love it. The Rossinian joie de vivre it's a construction. He was in reality a deeply sad and depressed person. And in the Cenerentola we often find a kind of comedy that can also be read as an impossibility of the carachters of having control of their fate wich is comic if you see it from outside but tragic if you empathise.


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## Bellinilover (Jul 24, 2013)

_La Cenerentola_. It's my all-time favorite opera, in fact.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I love both Barbiere and Cenerentola. The first is a great comedy, the second one has moments of real sadness in it - that stepfamily is truly brutal. 

Somehow I still have to truly warm to L'Italiana, despite having seen a number of productions. I think I prefer Il Turco in Italia.


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

mamascarlatti said:


> I love both Barbiere and Cenerentola. The first is a great comedy, the second one has moments of real sadness in it - that stepfamily is truly brutal.
> 
> Somehow I still have to truly warm to L'Italiana, despite having seen a number of productions. I think I prefer Il Turco in Italia.


I don't think Turco is up to the other 3 musically. The melodies don't seem as strong.
You guys?


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Bellinilover said:


> _La Cenerentola_. It's my all-time favorite opera, in fact.


What are your favorite recordings? I find too many conductors tend to rush Rossini and miss some of the underlying poignance there.


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

Obviously all three I love dearly ... La Cenerentola especially .


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

Itullian said:


> I don't think Turco is up to the other 3 musically. The melodies don't seem as strong.
> You guys?


After watching it about 2 weeks ago, I am in total agreement, it comes across as a second-rate sequel to L'Italiana.


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## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

Itullian said:


> What are your favorite recordings? I find too many conductors tend to rush Rossini and miss some of the underlying poignance there.


I had an LP set of an abridged Barbiere with Fernando de Lucia, which I've sadly never been able to replace with a CD. He is the _only_ true Almaviva!

I've never listened to the other two operas I'm afraid, so I can't comment on those.


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## sabrina (Apr 26, 2011)

I love Rossini so much, that I liked everything I listened to from opera to sacred pieces like Stabat Mater.
About the 3 operas, I was obsessed with Il barbiere. I think I know it by heart. I have all the DVDs I could find, and of course Maria Callas CDs also ripped on my iPhone. I think this is his best opera. Now I don't listen to it every day, but I still pop a DVD when I need some help to enlighten my darken spirit. 
Cenerentola is beautiful. I remember how I discovered it. I saw on you tube Zitto zitto, piano piano with JDF and I fall in love it so I bought my first DVD (Ruxandra Donose, Mironov). This is my favourite, though in the mean time I bought other DVDs
I have no DVD with Italiana. I only listened to Maria Callas Italiana. Beautiful, but I can't say I love it as much as the first two.
Among all Il Barbiere rules. ( My best is the old Glyndebourne producton with Maria Ewing, Furlanetto and John Rawnsley)


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## Camillorf (Jul 18, 2014)

sabrina said:


> I love Rossini so much, that I liked everything I listened to from opera to sacred pieces like Stabat Mater.
> About the 3 operas, I was obsessed with Il barbiere. I think I know it by heart. I have all the DVDs I could find, and of course Maria Callas CDs also ripped on my iPhone. I think this is his best opera. Now I don't listen to it every day, but I still pop a DVD when I need some help to enlighten my darken spirit.
> Cenerentola is beautiful. I remember how I discovered it. I saw on you tube Zitto zitto, piano piano with JDF and I fall in love it so I bought my first DVD (Ruxandra Donose, Mironov). This is my favourite, though in the mean time I bought other DVDs
> I have no DVD with Italiana. *I only listened to Maria Callas Italiana* Beautiful, but I can't say I love it as much as the first two.
> Among all Il Barbiere rules. ( My best is the old Glyndebourne producton with Maria Ewing, Furlanetto and John Rawnsley)


I didn't know she had recorded this role. Are you sure you don't mean Il turco in Italia?


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Favorite: Barber of Seville (have 11 CD sets and 6 DVDs)

Second favorite: La Cenerentola (have 2 CD sets and 2 DVDs)

Not familiar with: L'Italiana in Algeri


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Florestan said:


> Favorite: Barber of Seville (have 11 CD sets and 6 DVDs)
> 
> Second favorite: La Cenerentola (have 2 CD sets and 2 DVDs)
> 
> Not familiar with: L'Italiana in Algeri


I do think you mean: not yet


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

_L'italiana in Algeri_. It has a loopy brilliance the others lack. There's the onomatopoeic Act I finale (Din din din! Cra cra cra! Bum bum bum!); the sneezing quintet (Eccì! Di due schiocchi uniti insieme); the Pappataci trio...

_Cenerentola _is a more sentimental, bitter-sweet comedy; Angelina has more pathos than either Rosina or the feisty Isabella. The sextet is glorious, one of Rossini's happiest inspirations.

I'm less fond of _Barber_. Yes, it's Rossini's best known opera, has _that _overture and "Largo al factotum" - but it doesn't really get going until halfway through the first act.

… Any thoughts on _Mathilde di Shabran_? …


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## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

The last time I saw La Cenerentola was at Scottish Opera, the singer of the title role was so dour and humourless that the audience was on the verge of shouting out to the prince to go with Clorinda or Tisbe instead.

Last I saw Barber it was a lot of fun and has fun and great tunes for all. There's a good reason it's Rossini's most performed work.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

According to wikipedia:

Il barbiere di Siviglia is opera buffa (Italian for "comic opera")

L'italiana in Algeri dramma giocoso (Italian, literally: drama with jokes)

La Cenerentola is dramma giocoso

So it seems L'italiana in Algeri can be compared with La Cenerentola, but Il barbiere di Siviglia is in a different realm and is more like other comic operas, such as Don Pasquale, La Fille du Regiment, and L'elisir de Amore. Of those, Il barbiere di Siviglia ranks higest with me, though I do like the others except for Don Pasquale is a bit boring to me.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Florestan said:


> According to wikipedia:
> 
> Il barbiere di Siviglia is opera buffa (Italian for "comic opera")
> 
> ...


Give me the L'italiana over Cenerentola any day of the week, I am always waiting for the last part: Non più mesta.


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

Don Fatale said:


> The last time I saw La Cenerentola was at Scottish Opera, the singer of the title role was so dour and humourless that the audience was on the verge of shouting out to the prince to go with Clorinda or Tisbe instead.
> 
> Last I saw Barber it was a lot of fun and has fun and great tunes for all. There's a good reason it's Rossini's most performed work.


The last version of _Cenerentola_ I watched, the chorus pulled out machine guns and shot themselves at the end of the first act. Beat that!


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

> … Any thoughts on Mathilde di Shabran? …


I do have one CD, listened only once, I am not a fan of Florez......


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

Pugg said:


> I do have one CD, listened only once, I am not a fan of Florez......


You surprise me! Why not?

The music, though, is delightful. It comes from late in his Italian career, composed just before _Zelmira_ and _Semiramide_, and he applies the techniques of his mature Neapolitan operas to comic opera.











Act II sextet:





I also like this... - and the "Patati patatim" in the video:


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

SimonTemplar said:


> You surprise me! Why not?
> 
> The music, though, is delightful. It comes from late in his Italian career, composed just before _Zelmira_ and _Semiramide_, and he applies the techniques of his mature Neapolitan operas to comic opera.
> 
> ...


Just because of Flores, I am sorry but he doesn't tick my boxes so to speak so my judgement is just on that, noting against the music besides that, I should give it another try.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Cenerentola for me


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

Pugg said:


> Just because of Flores, I am sorry but he doesn't tick my boxes so to speak so my judgement is just on that, noting against the music besides that, I should give it another try.


Each to their own! I did think of going to hear him in the Berlin _Huguenots _this year - but I'll be in the Thar Desert when it opens.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

SimonTemplar said:


> Each to their own! I did think of going to the Berlin Huguenots this year - but I'll be in the Thar Desert when it opens.


I know we are going off topic but what the hack is that?


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

Pugg said:


> I know we are going off topic but what the hack is that?


NW India.




























Which, if memory serves, is where Act II of Massenet's _Roi de Lahore_ takes place. (Phew! Vaguely back on track!) The third act is set in the Hindu paradise. I don't intend to go there yet.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Barber of Seville is my all time favorite Rossini opera. Next comes La Cenerentola, which was the second opera I ever heard on CD or watched on DVD. I am not familiar with L'Italiana in Algeri, but have a CD set from the library sale that has Jennifer Larmore. So not sure what my third favorite Rossini opera would be. I would probably put La Gazza Ladra and Tancredi ahead of L'Italiana in Algeri.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Florestan said:


> Barber of Seville is my all time favorite Rossini opera. Next comes La Cenerentola, which was the second opera I ever heard on CD or watched on DVD. I am not familiar with L'Italiana in Algeri, but have a CD set from the library sale that has Jennifer Larmore. So not sure what my third favorite Rossini opera would be. I would probably put La Gazza Ladra and Tancredi ahead of L'Italiana in Algeri.


Time for you to explore more Rossini, Semiramide, Armida, la Donna di Lago , to mane a few


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