From the Schwetzinger Festspiele in 1987
Radio-Sinfonie-Orchester Stuttgart
Ralf Weikert - conductor
Michael Hampe - stage design
The Bulgarian Mens Choir of Sofia
Günther von Kannen - Mustafà, the Bey of Algiers (bass)
Nuccia Focile - Elvira, his wife (soprano)
Susan MacLean - Zulma, her confidante (mezzo-soprano)
Rudolf A. Hartmann - Haly, the captain of the Bey's guard (tenor)
Robert Gambill - Lindoro, in love with Isabella (tenor)
Doris Soffel - Isabella, the Italian girl (contralto)
Enric Serra - Taddeo, an elderly Italian (bass)
Anna-Maria Mörgeli - Pascha, a little monkey
Gioachino Rossini - L'Italiana In Algeri
operatic dramma giocoso in two acts by Gioachino Rossini to an Italian libretto by Angelo Anelli
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Michael Hampe’s ingenious Rossini stagings show two of the master’s pieces in the best possible light. „L’Italiana in Algeri“, on the surface a frothy little farce, on a deeper level an acerbic social satire, is coupled with the composer’s magnum opus, the eternally popular “Il barbiere di Siviglia”, one of the most admirable works in the entire operatic literature.
In both productions, Michael Hampe draws the inspiration for his international cast from the clever plots and the grand spirit of Rossini’s brilliant music, avoiding all the hackneyed gags of yesteryear. Magnificent cantilena as Mauro Pagano’s imaginative settings and costumes combine with the expert musical direction of Gabriele Ferro and Ralf Weikert to make these two operatic performances a delight to the eye and the ear alike.
Gioacchino Rossini (1792 – 1868)
During his lifetime Rossini occupied an unrivalled position in the Italian musical world. The son of a horn-player and a mother who made a career for herself in opera, as a boy Rossini had direct experience of operatic performance, both in the orchestra pit and on stage. He is considered to be the last and greatest composer of comic opera in the buffo style, but is more important as a composer of opera seria.
From his first relative success in 1810, his operas were performed in all the Italian operatic centres. In 1824 Rossini settled in Paris where he wrote his final opera, "Guillaume Tell", which was staged there in 1829.
The revolution of 1830 put an end to French royal commissions for the theatre and Rossini returned to Italy. Although he continued to enjoy considerable esteem, both in Paris and in his native Italy, he stopped composing, partly due to bad health.
He returned to Paris in 1855 and began to compose again, writing a number of piano works and ensembles, many of which were performed at Rossini’s "Samedi Soirs".
