Check out our Youtube channel!!! Icon at bottom of page
Thanks to ROF for providing the initial videos and thanks to two special friends, Peter Brase and Jeffrey Roberts for pointing out that we need to point our visitors in the right direction – bottom of page!!!
Finally, a Rossini competition in the United States
The smiling gentleman is none other than the legendary Rockwell Blake and the woman is Guadalupe Paz, winner of the competition.
Below she is pictured with the “fathers of the competition”, Bruce Johansen and Michael Cressey.
The first ever Rossini competition in the United States was held in California on November 13-14.
The competition was the brain-child of the president, Bruce Johansen, and artistic director, Mick Cressey of the Palm Springs Opera Guild of the Desert.
Some may think this is an unlikely place for such a competition, but both Johansen and Cressey are big Rossini fans, as well as being frequent visitors to the Rossini Opera Festival ( and members of the Friends of the Rossini Opera Festival)
Furthermore, the Guild, ( co-founded in 1968 by Lily Pons) has had a long-standing vocal competition whose winners include many singers with international careers, such as Sondra Radvanovksy and more recently Angela Meade.
The competition came to life as a result of the dynamic enthusiasm of Bruce and Mick along with the encouragement and support of the ROF family. Rockwell Blake, a mainstay of ROF for many years agreed to be a judge, and Alberto Zedda kindly agreed to offer artistic advice. Blake was joined by tenor, Henry Price known to many New York City opera fans.
There were many promising participants, which bodes well for the future of the competition.
The winner was Guadalupe Paz, whose name might be familiar to ROF guests because she was a member of the Accademia Rossiniana in 2008 and appeared in Viaggo a Reims. She will be singing in the first performance ever of Il Viaggio a Reims in Mexico next year.
The Peggy Cravens Rossini award ( named after its generous benefactor) was presented in conjunction with the Guild’s 32nd annual Vocal competition on Sunday, December 6, in Rancho Mirage CA. Among the guests were Valeria Rumori, from the Italian Cultural Institute of Los Angeles.
Bravo to everyone involved in this endeavor, which is a wonderful and auspicious start to the Rossini Project.
Exclusive interview with Daniela Barcellona
Daniela Barcellona, one of the newest members of the Honorary Board of the Friends of the Rossini Opera Festival, is in New York City to perform Malcom at the Metropolitan Opera’s “La Donna Del Lago”.
She graciously agreed to be interviewed at short notice. We asked her to answer in Italian ( it’s a beautiful language, after all)
The English translation was generously provided shortly after that, by Luca Damaschi,as a gesture of friendship to American Rossini fans.
Q. When and how did you discover that you had an affinity for Rossini?
Non è stata proprio una scoperta immediata. Avevo sempre delle “agilità” piuttosto buone ma non conoscevo né il repertorio né la tecnica corretta per affrontarlo. L’occasione si è presentata quando il mio maestro di canto, Alessandro Vitiello, mi ha proposto, data la mia giovane età, di affrontare lo studio dell’ “Italiana in Algeri”. Oltre le richieste tecniche che il ruolo richiede, mi ha permesso di conoscere un mondo che, per me, era quasi sconosciuto; prima, infatti, vedevo solo l’esteriorità e la spettacolarità del canto rossiniano, non comprendendo ancora l’espressività nascosta dietro le cadenze e le agilità.
A questo sono arrivata gradualmente, soprattutto affrontando il Rossini serio, ed anche grazie all’aiuto del Maestro Gelmetti, uno dei pochissimi interpreti in grado di riconoscere la poetica rossiniana nascosta dietro quello che potrebbe sembrare solamente un artificio vocale, meramente spettacolare e fine a se stesso.
Questa visione mi ha aperto un mondo, facendomi capire che la musica rossiniana, lungi dall’essere una banale dimostrazione di bravura tecnica, era invece fondata sull’espressività e sulle emozioni più intime.
It was not an immediate discovery. I have always had rather good “agilità”, but I did not know nor the repertoire nor the technique to sing it. The occasion arrived when, in consideration of my early age, my singer-teacher, Alessandro Vitiello proposed me to start to study “Italiana in Algeri”. In addition to the techiques that such a role required, that opera made me know a world that was for me almost unknown; before such experience, in fact, I just saw the outward appearance and the spectacularity of the Rossinian singing, as I did not yet understand the expressiveness hidden behind cadenzas and agilità (coloraturas). I gradually arrived at this, in particular by singing the “opera seria” by Rossini. For this I have also to thank Maestro Gelmetti, one of the very rare interpreter able to recognize the Rossinian poetics hidden behind what that could seem a vocal artifice, merely spectacular and end in itself. This vision opened a world to me. It made me understand that the music by Rossini was based on expressiveness and more intimate emotions and was not just a banal demonstration of bravura technique
Q. Did you already know that this was going to be a specialty for you when you attended the Accademia Rossinia?
Assolutamente no. Quello è stato l’unico anno in cui l’Accademia era affidata al Maestro Gelmetti ed è stata proprio l’occasione in cui l’ho conosciuto; ho avuto la fortuna di lavorare subito con lui come allieva e, proprio in quel frangente, ho avuto la possibilità di scoprire, grazie a lui, “un altro rossini”, moderno ed espressivo. Ultimata quell’esperienza, il Maestro Gelmetti mi ha subito richiesta per alcuni concerti… Poi, per la Semiramide a Ginevra ed il Tancredi a Pesaro, nel 1999. Il resto lo sapete.
Absolutely not. That was the only year when the Accademia was in charge to Maestro Gelmetti and it was exactly the occasion when I met him; I had the chance to work soon with him as a pupil and precisely in that situation, I had the possibility to discover thanks to him “a different Rossini”, modern and expressive. Terminated such experience with Maestro Gelmetti, he immediately requested me for some concerts… Then, Semiramide in Geneva and Tancredi in Pesaro, in 1999. The rest, you know.
Q. You sang in the 2001 ROF production of La Donna Del Lago. Had you sung Malcom before?
Quello è stato il mio debutto (prima avevo solamente cantato la prima aria in concerto).
That was my debut (earlier I had just sung the first aria as a concert)
Q. It was quite a cast, but the recording from the premier seem to indicate that the audience went totally wild over your performance. Were you surprised?
Devo ammettere di sì. Era il secondo grande ruolo che affrontavo a Pesaro ed il primo in uno spazio grande come il Palafestival… Aggiungiamo pure che Malcolm non è il protagonista assoluto dell’opera e, quel cast, vantava i nomi più importanti della lirica mondiale… Quindi, sì: sono rimasta sorpresa ed onorata.
I freely admit yes. It was the second great role that I played in Pesaro and it was the first in such a large space as the Palafestival….Let’s also add that Malcom is not the main character and that such cast was composed by the most important names in the world opera…so, yes: I was very surprised and honoured.
Q. How has your understanding of Malcom evolved over the years and/or does it depend on the other singers?
L’evoluzione della mia interpretazione dipende soprattutto dalla possibilità di riaffrontare il ruolo: in queste occasioni, infatti, mi impongo di ristudiare tutto dal principio, come se si trattasse di un debutto.
Questo mi permette di cogliere delle sfumature che, magari, precedentemente mi erano sfuggite ma, soprattutto, mi permette di adattare il ruolo alla mia evoluzione artistica e fisica (gli anni passano per tutti 🙂 ). Importante, almeno per me, è la possibilità di ristudiare il ruolo con il medesimo Maestro con cui l’ho affrontato la prima volta: Alessandro Vitiello… Possiamo dire che ogni personaggio è un po’ figlio di entrambi e, rivederlo assieme, mi consente di avere una visione più completa. Dal punto di vista scenico, invece, mi affido completamente al regista con cui collaboro e devo dire di aver sempre avuto la fortuna di trovare degli artisti che, compresa la mia idea del ruolo, mi hanno aiutato a renderlo più reale.
The evolution of my interpretation depends first of all on the possibility to play again the role: in these occasions, in fact, I impose myself to study again everything from the beginning, as if it was my debut. In this way I can capture some of the most suggestive shades, sometimes, previously escaped and in particular I can adapt the role to my artistic and physical evolution (all of us get older). It is important, at least for me, the possibility to study again the role with the same Maestro with whom I did it the first time: Alessandro Vitellio…We can say that the character is, in a certain way, the son of both and to see the character together make me have a more complete vision. From the scenic point of view, on the contrary, I totally trust the director and I freely admit that I was always lucky as I found artists able to understand the idea that I had of my role and helped me to make it more real.
Q. What is your favorite Rossini role?
Solitamente, il ruolo che sto affrontando 🙂 Tutti i personaggi rossiniani sono talmente belli e ben delineati che è difficile avere una preferenza. Ad ogni modo, sono particolarmente affezionata a Tancredi, l’opera con la quale ho iniziato la mia carriera: forse, fra tutti gli eroi di Rossini, è quello più umano e più poetico.
On general basis, the role that I am playing. All Rossinian characters are so beautiful and well outlined that it is difficult to prefer one. In any case, I am very fond of Tancredi, the opera which made my career start: perhaps among the Rossini’s heros, he is the most human and poetic.
Q. You sang Tancredi in a concert version at ROF a few years ago. Again, the audience was thrilled. Hopefully you felt their enthusiasm. Is that part of the joy of being an artist?
Quella è la gioia più grande, perché è la prova tangibile che il messaggio che volevo trasmettere è stato colto ed apprezzato. E’ come seminare un fiore e vederlo crescere: nel mio piccolo, mi fa capire che tutto il lavoro che sto portando avanti non andrà perso. E la cosa più bella, poi, è incontrare dei giovani cantanti che mi dicono che hanno deciso di iniziare a studiare dopo avermi ascoltata: non posso chiedere di più.
That is the greatest joy, because it is the tangible proof that the message I wanted to transmit was captured and appreciated. It is like to plant a flower and to see it growing: in my small contribution, it makes me understand that my work will not be lost. And the most beautiful thing, then, is to meet young singers that tell me they started studying after listening to me: I cannot ask more.
We would like to thank Daniela Barcellona for sharing these thoughts with us. She is not merely a star, but clearly an artist.
“La Donna del Lago”, melodramma or tragedy?
Although Rossini’s librettto clearly describes “La Donna del Lago” as a melodramma, perhaps it is actually a tragedy? How could it possibly be a tragedy when it ends in the joyous “Tanti Affetti”?
All one has to do is to look at the exquisite production from La Scala ( on DVD) and watch the character of Uberto, so brilliantly played and sung by Rockwell Blake to realize that perhaps not everyone is happy at the end. Although Uberto’s magnanimous gesture is central to the opera it is not unique. “La Clemenza di Tito” is a beautiful example known to many. There are others, but what makes
Uberto unique is that his gesture is a personal sacrifice, whereas Tito, for example gains personally ( he spares the life of his best friend) from his. Think of what happens when the curtain goes down. Elena and Malcom presumably live happily ever after. And Uberto? Does Rossini’s music give an indication?
We will share some of your opinions submitted on Twitter, Facebook and email ( info@rossiniamerica.org) Please share your thoughts.
This is the first “Topic of the Month” on Rossiniamerica.org. Feel free to propose topics as well as comment on the posted topics.
A return to the lake with Alberto Zedda
In connection with the Metropolitan Opera’s December 2015 performances of “La Donna del Lago”, we examine some aspects of this masterpiece with the help of an essay by Alberto Zedda.
Somehow, the miracle of this opera seems to elude even many Rossini lovers.
Perhaps some refelctions from Alberto Zedda can help us understand why. He expressed some thoughts on this work at the time of the 2001 performance in Pesaro Italy. Below are some of the excerpts from his essay.
Maestro Zedda writes that this opera “opens up an unknown landscape and develops new themes.”
“It is not an easy opera to revive even for the modern listener” he continues,”even though ( the listener) is familiar with such concepts as ambiguity, abstraction, and metaphor.”
Among other things Maestro Zedda singles out “ the prominent role entrusted to the orchestra
, different from that of the Italian composers who preceded Rossini, and whose only thought was to supply a practical support for the voice.”
The use of the hunting horn ( both off stage and on), the use of the band , the use of the harp, and the curious orchestration ( four clarinets among other things) creates a color and a sound which in itself makes this work unique.
The opening scene where Giacomo /Uberto comes upon Elena really defines the characters. Maestro Zedda observes, ” Radiant with the thoughts of love for her Malcolm, Elena’s simple and enchanting little song ‘Oh mattutini albori’ is pervaded with an elusive and subtle eroticism. When Giacomo asks her for help in finding his way, her reaction is one of unforced naturalness. After bringing him to her home, Elena and Giacomo ‘converse’ politely and their behavior is chaste and friendly, but the music invests their meeting with a sweet enchantment and a sickly tension so that no one is surprised when Giacomo’s heart succumbs to love.” Based on these observations it is safe to say that this is not a skirt-chasing King, nor a flirtatious, feisty young woman as some have unfortunately portrayed them (ed).
Giacomo learns that Elena is the daughter of his enemy and is betrothed to Rodrigo ( whom she does not love ) But, Zedda points out, “the anxious languidness that Giacomo’s presence has aroused in Elena’s childlike femininity gives him a ray of hope.
Elena, believes her restlessness is simply her longing to see Malcom again, and in all innocence she cannot help unconsciously exercising a fatally seductive charm.” The concluding duet between Elena and Giacomo is, in Zedda’s words, “one of Rossini’s prettiest dialogues of love, certainly the most sensual, the most loaded with passion…(Because) Elena’s ecstasy is aimed and Malcom and not at Giacomo, Rossini is free from any necessity to pain a direct encounter between lovers, and so is able to give full reign to his art without too much reserve. “
At this point Rossini has laid the foundation for the two principal characters and he is free to turn his attention to the third, Malcom.
Zedda writes. “ Malcom’s entrance aria ‘Mura felice’ is permeated with melancholy which his loving anxieties seek in vain to camouflage, he tells us of love’s enchantment. Our sympathy with his youthful enthusiasm warns us somehow that his destiny is not of the happiest.” Malcom, Zedda states, “ belongs to Romantic culture and his interpretative powers need to be enough to give emotion and presentiment to a cabaletta, the leading theme of which could easily become banal.. Malcom needs to give weight to Elena’s uncertainty and magnanimity to Giacomo’s renunciation.” It would seem that Malcom has the toughest job in this opera (ed)
Although we are just at the start of La Donna del Lago, this fundamental understanding of the characters has already been presented by Rossini ( and pointed out by Zedda)
Does one need to know these things to enjoy the opera? Certainly not. But hopefully the interpreters are aware and will use this awareness to give us memorable performances of this rarely heard gem. They certainly have the vocal credentials to do so.
ROF 2016 revised program.
There have been some changes to the program.The final performance of Ciro in Babilonia has been moved to the final evening of the Festival ( Aug 20) And the Florez gala has been moved up to the 19th.
In addition, Monica Bacelli will be giving the bel canto concert on Aug 17th
Touched by the Magic Wand of Rossinian Madness
One of the special delights of attending the Rossini Opera Festival in person is coming in contact with other Rossini lovers from around the world. This summer a number of them spent hours at breakfast at one of the Pesaro’s welcoming hotels discussing the events of the previous day. Among them was Jürgen Gahre, a knowledgeable and personable journalist from Germany, who was also busy posting his reviews. He graciously agreed to share it with Rossini America, and thanks to the assistance of his friend Boyd Mullan provided us with this translation. We think you will enjoy the excerpts from his review. A link to the full review is posted at the end.
Many thanks to both!
Touched by the Magic Wand of Rossinian Madness
By Jürgen Gahre
“If you haven’t yet laughed in your whole life,” the great French novelist Stendhal advised a grumpy, puritanical Englishman two hundred years ago, “then go to Naples and see Rossini’s La gazzetta.” Today however he would have to go to Pesaro, for what director Marco Carniti has deftly conjured up on the stage of the Teatro Rossini is hilariously funny and so lively that the three-hour opera just flies past. Carniti makes do with a long catwalk made up of interchangeable parts and achieves fine effects with fanciful costumes in the style of the fifties and an expressive use of lighting. It is well seen that Carniti comes from the world of ballet for the colourful action on the stage has a dance-like lightness, especially in the lively ensemble scenes. One witty idea follows hard on the heels of another and with every addition the Rossinian roulades come faster and faster right up to the ecstatic climax. All of this finds its visual counterpart down to the tiniest detail: newspapers fall in long lines from above, letters are sent whirling around to make ever more new words, all of a sudden the stage turns into a boxing ring — with scant resources great effects are achieved!
What exactly happens in La Gazzetta, which was composed in 1816 for Naples? The rich, puffed up Don Pomponio has had the absurd idea of advertising for a husband of appropriate social class for his daughter Lisetta. She however has long since decided on Filippo, the charming owner of a hotel in Paris, and then when a self-important Madama La Rose and another father with his daughter turn up in the same hotel with similar matrimonial intentions the stage is set for all sorts of errors, entanglements and confusions. A good performance of La Gazzetta stands or falls with the casting of the part of Don Pomponio, and this is something that Pesaro is well placed to provide, for Nicola Alaimo is a buffo artist to his fingertips. He employs his great physical bulk to extremely comic effect, in order to underline the ridiculous pomposity of this deranged rich man. Carniti has him accompanied constantly by the mute Tommasino (a character that does not figure in Rossini) who serves the Don with slavish obsequiousness and interprets the will of his master by means of gestures and acrobatic-type contortions. An absolute triumph of the director’s art!
Enrique Mazzola guides the orchestra of the Teatro Comunale di Bologna with great verve through the score and captures perfectly its ‘Prosecco’ spirit and all the delightful absurdities of a musical work that simply bubbles over with joie de vivre. Accordingly Hasmik Torosyan in the role of the strong-minded Lisetta is able to deploy her brilliant, crystal clear soprano voice to optimum effect, Vito Priante (baritone) is the subtlest of Filippos, and Maxim Mironov as a lovesick Alberto is an engagingly bright and flexible tenor.
When at last the turbulent action approaches its climax, when the comedy reaches the level of absurdity in the whirling confusion of the closing scene and everyone has been touched by the magic wand of Rossinian madness, the right moment has arrived for a political message. Marco Carniti demonstrates the need for culture by means of a masterly coup de théâtre which reduces the unspeakable, oft quoted statement of the Italian finance minister Tremonti that culture is really superfluous (Con la cultura son si mangea) to absurdity.
The audience showed its gratitude to all those who took part with frenetic applause. The undeservedly seldom performed Gazzetta has been brilliantly rehabilitated by this outstanding interpretation.
The complete review in German can be found at:
http://www.kn-online.de/News/Aktuelle-Nachrichten-Kultur/Rossini-Opera-Festival-La-gazetta-in-Pesaro
ROF’s La Gazza Ladra on “World of Opera” with our gift to you!
The radio series, World of Opera heard on stations throughout the United States will be broadcasting “La Gazza Ladra” during the week of October 17th. For local listings and exact dates and times, please check this link.http://worldofopera.org/about/world-of-opera-stations.
This gives Rossini fans in the US the opportunity to listen to these live performances at a time more convenient than those enjoyed by Europeans. No longer will you have to take a VERY LONG LUNCH break at work!!! You can even listen in the car – make sure to roll down the windows so that Rossini can spread throughout the land!
In connection with this event, The Rossini Opera Festival publication department has generously made available the ebook of the program that accompanied these performances in Pesaro. Thanks to Carla Di Carlo’s beautiful editing, you may obtain this program to enhance your enjoyment of the broadcast. Simply send an email to info@rossiniamerica.org, with the subject line La Gazza Ladra, and we will attach the .pdf file to our reply!!
American,Rene Barbara, is the featured tenor. Check out our interview with him here on our site. Here he is pictured with Nino Machaidze.
Rossini on demand!!!
Let’s face it, American audiences (especially on the West Coast) are at a disadvantage when it comes to streaming of programs from Europe. But the BBC has come to our rescue with two upcoming “on demand” broadcasts at bbc.co.uk/radio3. For 30 days after the broadcast you can listen and “re-listen” to two of the operas featured at ROF2015.
On October 8, “La Gazzetta” with its newly discovered ensemble will be broadcast.
Then, on October 10, “La Gazza ladra” with American tenor Rene Barbera will be featured. Happy listening!!
ROF’s Messa di Gloria, September 18 on Rai3
Messa di Gloria, along with two cantatas, all rarely performed, will be broadcast on www.radio3.rai.it, September 18, at 20:30 Italian time (4:30 ET). Hopefully you will have the opportunity to listen in even though we know it is difficult because of the awkward time.
This is a fascinating work because as with many Rossini gems it is hard to categorize. The program notes available during the Festival were,as usual both informative and entertaining.One is transported back to a time where there seemed to be a lot of borrowing mischief.
Listen for hints (subtle and not) of fragments that show up later in Rossini’s later works. Among them are “Bianca e Falliero”, “Il Viaggo a Reims”, “Le Comte Ory”, and what is characterized as a pre-echo of “Guillaume Tell”! Indeed there is also some self-borrowing from “Aureliano in Palmira”!! None of this takes away from the enjoyment and beauty of Messa di Gloria.
The cast, pictured in rehearsal ( left to right) includes Dempsey Rivera,Juan Diego Florez,Viktoria Yarovaya, Jessica Pratt and Mirco Palazzi. Andrea Faidutti leads the chorus of the Teatro Comunale di Bologna and the Filarmonica Gioahino Rossini is conducted by Donato Renzetti.
This is a good opportunity to remind visitors to this site, that by becoming a member at the $75 level, you will receive the electronic form of the programs and cast lists for the works of each year’s Festival. A great way to follow along.