Rossini - La Gazzetta (Maurizio Barbacini) [2006]

It is rather ironic that this opera, which was written right after Rossini’s most successful work, Il barbiere di Siviglia, was one of his worst failures. La gazzetta premiered in Naples on September 26, 1816. It was performed only a few times, hastily withdrawn, and was not heard again until 1960. That performance from the RAI was recorded and first issued on LP on the EJS label; subsequently my old company, Voce Records, issued it on LP, and it appeared on CD in 1992 on the Memories label.

The failure of the opera was attributed to the plot that was considered old-fashioned and complex. The action takes place in Paris at the inn of Filippo. Alberto, a young, wealthy man who is searching for a wife, reads an advertisement in the Gazette in which Don Pomponio has placed an ad offering his daughter in marriage to a worthy suitor. Pomponio arrives at the inn and is teased by the crowd for his pretentiousness.

Pomponio is not aware that his daughter Lisetta is in love with Filippo. Anselmo and his daughter Doralice arrive and are shown to their rooms. Lisetta and Filippo sing a love duet. Alberto makes gallant gestures toward Lisetta, angering Filippo, who tells him that Lisetta is his wife and that Doralice is the girl who is advertised. Doralice is unaware of any advertisement, but is smitten by Alberto. When Don Pomponio enters, Alberto, thinking that he is Doralice’s father, asks for the hand of his daughter. Pomponio refuses, claiming that Alberto’s name is too commonplace. Alberto then tells Pomponio that his name is Filippo, a descendent of Alexander the Great. Pomponio approves, and Alberto leaves. Lisetta enters and Filippo claims her as his bride, but Pomponio says he is not the Filippo he approves of and when Alberto returns, Pomponio tells Lisetta that he is her betrothed. All are utterly confused and leave as Doralice returns.

Filippo tells Pomponio that Lisetta is not his wife, and claims that Madama La Rose is actually his wife. Filippo tells Pomponio that a rich Quaker is anxious to marry Lisetta. Pomponio tells Lisetta that Filippo is married to Madama La Rose, and that she is going to marry a rich Quaker. Filippo and a group of his friends, all disguised as Quakers, arrive; Lisetta recognizes Filippo, and refuses him. The pseudo-Quakers depart, and the act ends with everyone furious with everyone else.

In act II, Anselmo and Traversen are making arrangements for Traversen’s marriage to Doralice, whose aria expresses her unhappiness about the affair. Lisetta enters, followed by Filippo; she is furious about his marriage, but he explains that he was only trying to fool her father. He threatens to kill himself, and she finally admits that she loves him. Filippo tells Alberto that he has learned from Doralice that she is infatuated with Alberto. They plan to delay Pomponio by challenging him to a duel. When Pomponio enters, Filippo and Alberto engage in sham quarrel. They decide to fight a duel; the winner will fight Pomponio. In a trio, Pomponio encourages them, but they decide that their honor will be satisfied by merely insulting Pomponio. The trio ends with the three men best of friends. Pomponio leaves and Lisetta and Doralice enter. Filippo tells them that they will all disguise themselves as Turks, and at the party that Filippo has scheduled for that evening the two couples will elope.

In scene 2, Lisetta, Doralice, Filippo, and Alberto are all in Turkish disguises. Pomponio, Anselmo, and Traversen are all fooled by the disguises since everyone looks alike in their robes. The ruse works, the two couples leave and return married. The girls beg their fathers’ forgiveness, and all ends happily.

Dario Fo’s production of La gazetta premiered at Pesaro in 2001. As Richard Law commented in his review in Opera: Fo “set it in the 1930s and left no tricks untried, including exploding cars, leggy ballet-girls, and the conviction that something must be going on at all times, preferably in time with the music.” Since Fo worked with an obscure work, the production, although at times overdone, too many extras dancing and tumbling, and little respect for the music, is visually entertaining.

Rossini’s music is, with the exception of the quintet borrowed from his Il turco in Italia, entirely original. Since the opera failed, Rossini used the same overture for his La cenerentola. The star of the production is the Pomponio of Bruno Praticò, who literally owns the role, having sung it in the original production and also in the revival at Pesaro in 2005. Pietro Spagnoli, who also appeared in the original production, is an excellent Filippo. Charles Workman’s Alberto is visually attractive, but poorly sung, at times off pitch and distressing to listen to. Marisa Martins is fine as Doralice, as is Cinzia Forte as Lisetta. The minor roles are also well done. Although the characters sing in formal Italian, the role of Pomponio was written in Neapolitan dialect. The music is typical Rossini, bright and charming; it is somewhat surprising the opera failed so dismally at its inception.

The picture and sound are both excellent. Subtitles are available, and the booklet contains an article about the production. Since any competitive version is unlikely, anyone who enjoys the music of Rossini should not hesitate in acquiring this set.

FANFARE: Bob Rose

Performer:
Lisetta – Cinzia Forte
Don Pomponio – Bruno Praticò
Filippo - Pietro Spagnoli
Alberto - Charles Workman
Madame La Rose – Agata Bienkowska
Doralice – Marisa Martins
Monsù Traversen – Simón Orfila
Anselmo – Marc Canturri
Orchestra Academy of the Gran Teatre del Liceu
Musical Director - Maurizio Barbacini

RGLGMB