I have a theory that Rossini was Mozart reincarnated.
It’s not just his effortless genius. Rossini could compose a masterpiece of
an opera in a matter of two weeks!!!
But it’s his extreme sense of fun!
Rossini is pure fun!
Fresh from my recent experience of Seattle Opera’s La
Cenerentola (Rossini’s version of Cinderella in opera form), my head, my ears,
my heart is full of his delightful comedy expressed through the amazing score
of this piece and one stellar production.
Rossini loves to do these delightfully silly ensembles when everyone
in the opera is completely confused.
The music hesitates throughout – called clockwork ensembles or patter
singing. And then moves from soft
and slower to louder and louder and faster and faster – i.e. his signature
crescendos.
He makes a baffoon of the less-than-wonderful stepfather –
both in his name (Don Magnifico – for he thinks he is, but everyone knows he
isn’t) and in his music. He is the
only character who actually sings an aria with no melody*. As our opera lecturer explained, only
Rossini could do this. The gauche
stepsisters sing gauche music. No
one does gauche better than Rossini*
Dandini, the Prince’s valet, has the time of his life,
disguised as the Prince. This is
his one and only chance at Princedom and he’s milking it for all it’s
worth. Just hilarious. And the chorus reinforces the comedy throughout
the opera.
If you’re up for a break from the usual gruesome drama of
opera with all its love, death, betrayal and often horrific story lines, check
out Rossini’s operas. They are
pure delight. And even bless us
with a happy ending.
(*I get this wisdom from the lectures of our local opera
expert.)
Photo: Seattle
Opera’s current whimsical production of La Cenerentola (Cinderella)
