8. Reputation.

Until recently the image of Rossini as man and artist was distorted. As a man he most often appeared the indolent raconteur, the gourmet, the spirit of an elegant Second Empire salon. This image resulted from the abundance of biographical sources that reflected the period after he withdrew from operatic composition in 1829. Of his active career little was known but what Stendhal related in his brilliant but unreliable Vie de Rossini, what Rossini recounted to visitors in Paris some 40 years later, and what could be pieced together from the bald facts of his performed works and the few published early letters. The fascinating insights into a composer's growth that can be gleaned from the correspondence of Bellini or Verdi, the interrelations of the composer and his librettists, the aesthetic creeds formulated in moments of artistic inspiration, all these seemed to be totally lacking.

The general view of Rossini the composer was equally mistaken. Rossini's historical position was distorted by the prominence of his great comic operas which are among the last and finest representatives of buffo style. His ties with the 18th century were consequently emphasized, while his position in the 19th was misunderstood. Superb as the buffo operas are, Rossini is historically more important as a composer of opera seria. He threw off 18th-century formulae and codified new conventions that dominated Italian opera for half a century. Between 1810 and 1850 Italian opera was reformed in many ways. Techniques of singing and melodic style altered drastically; the Romantic theatre routed dramatic conventions that had tyrannized both theatre and opera, thus offering a new wellspring of operatic subjects and techniques; the self-image of the composer changed, that of the craftsman giving way to that of the creative artist, while each individual work of art consequently gained new significance. But throughout, Italian opera depended upon the musical forms, the style of orchestration, the rhythmic vitality and the role of music in defining and shaping the drama first developed fully in the operas of Rossini.

The last two decades of the 20th century saw a thorough re-evaluation of Rossini as a man and as a composer. Thanks to the efforts of scholars associated with the Fondazione Rossini of Pesaro, a vast quantity of documentary material from the composer's productive years has been located and published in the first volumes of his Lettere e documenti, edited by Bruno Cagli and Sergio Ragni. This material has greatly enriched our understanding of Rossini's artistic career. Furthermore, a critical edition of the complete works, under the direction of Philip Gossett, is well advanced. It has provided new insight into the composer's art. It has also made his music newly accessible, both the eternally popular comic works and the serious operas. Since 1980 the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, drawing on the work of the Fondazione Rossini, has not only offered carefully studied productions of the operas but has also been responsible for providing a venue in which several generations of singers have been able to master the intricacies of Rossini's vocal practice. Thanks to an abundance of recordings and live productions throughout Europe and the USA, Rossini is no longer simply the composer of some delightful comic operas.

Rossini, Gioachino

WORKS

Editions:Quaderni rossiniani, ed. Fondazione Rossini (Pesaro, 1954–76) [QR]Edizione critica delle opere di Gioachino Rossini, ed. Fondazione Rossini (Pesaro, 1979–) [vols. in brackets are in preparation] [EC]

BCR	Bologna, Teatro del Corso
FEC	Ferrara, Teatro Comunale
LIC	Lisbon, Teatro de S Carlos
MSC	Milan, Teatro alla Scala
NC	Naples, Teatro S Carlo
NFI	Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini
NFO	Naples, Teatro del Fondo
PI	Paris, Théâtre Italien
PO	Paris, Opéra
RA	Rome, Teatro Argentina
RAP	Rome, Teatro Apollo
RV	Rome, Teatro Valle
VB	Venice, Teatro S Benedetto
VF	Venice, Teatro La Fenice
VM	Venice, Teatro S Moisè

*	autograph
†	authenticated MS copy

stage

sacred

cantatas, incidental music, hymns and choruses

miscellaneous vocal

instrumental

péchés de vieillesse (1857–68)

other late works

miscellaneous

adaptations involving rossini's participation

works not traced or of uncertain authenticity

Rossini, Gioachino: Works

stage

composed shortly before first performance unless otherwise stated

Title	Genre, acts	First performance	EC
Demetrio e Polibio	dramma serio, 2	RV, 18 May 1812, composed c1810
Libretto : V. Viganò-Mombelli
Sources, comments : vs (Milan, 1825–6)
La cambiale di matrimonio	farsa comica, 1	VM, 3 Nov 1810	[I/ii]
Libretto : G. Rossi, after C. Federici's play (1791) and G. Checcherini's lib for Coccia: Il matrimonio per lettera di cambio (1807)
Sources, comments : vs (Milan, 1847)
L'equivoco stravagante	dg, 2	BCR, 26 Oct 1811
Libretto : G. Gasbarri
Sources, comments : vs (Milan, 1851)
L'inganno felice	farsa, 1	VM, 8 Jan 1812
Libretto : G. Foppa
Sources, comments : vs (Leipzig, 1819), fs (Rome, 1826)
Ciro in Babilonia, ossia La caduta di Baldassare	dramma con cori, 2	FEC, 14 March 1812
Libretto : F. Aventi
Sources, comments : vs (Milan, 1852)
La scala di seta	farsa comica, 1	VM, 9 May 1812	I/vi
Libretto : Foppa, after F.A.E. de Planard: L'échelle de soie, lib for P. Gaveaux (1808)
Sources, comments : S-Smf*, vs (Milan, 1852)
La pietra del paragone	melodramma giocoso, 2	MSC, 26 Sept 1812	[I/vii]
Libretto : L. Romanelli
Sources, comments : I-Mr*, vs (Milan, 1846)
L'occasione fa il ladro	burletta per musica, 1	VM, 24 Nov 1812	I/viii
Libretto : L. Prividali, after E. Scribe: Le prétendu par hazard, ou L'occasion fait le larron (1810)
Sources, comments : F-Pc*, vs (Milan, 1853)
Il signor Bruschino, ossia Il figlio per azzardo	farsa giocosa, 1	VM, 27 Jan 1813	I/ix
Libretto : Foppa, after A. de Chazet and E.-T. Maurice Ourry: Le fils par hazard, ou Ruse et folie (1809)
Sources, comments : Pc*, vs (Milan, 1854)
Tancredi	melodramma eroico, 2	VF, 6 Feb 1813	I/x
Libretto : Rossi and L. Lechi, after Voltaire
Sources, comments : I-Ms*, excerpts B-Bmichotte*, private collection*, vs (Leipzig, 1817)
L'italiana in Algeri	dg, 2	VB, 22 May 1813	I/xi
Libretto : A. Anelli, orig. for L. Mosca (1808)
Sources, comments : I-Mr*, excerpt Ms*, vs (Mainz, c1819)
Aureliano in Palmira	dramma serio, 2	MSC, 26 Dec 1813
Libretto : F. Romani, after G. Sertor's lib for Anfossi: Zenobia in Palmira (1790)
Sources, comments : B-Bmichotte* (frag.), vs (Milan, 1855)
Il turco in Italia	dramma buffo, 2	MSC, 14 Aug 1814	I/xiii
Libretto : Romani, after C. Mazzolà's lib for F. Seydelmann (1788)
Sources, comments : I-Mr*, vs (Leipzig, 1821)
Sigismondo	dramma, 2	VF, 26 Dec 1814	[I/xiv]
Libretto : Foppa
Sources, comments : Mr*, vs (Milan, 1826)
Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra	dramma, 2	NC, 4 Oct 1815
Libretto : G. Schmidt, after Carlo Federici's play (1814) based on S. Lee: The Recess (novel, 1783–5)
Sources, comments : PESr* (facs. in ERO, vii, 1979), vs (Leipzig, 1819–20)
Torvaldo e Dorliska	dramma semiserio, 2	RV, 26 Dec 1815
Libretto : C. Sterbini, based on J.-B. de Coudry: Vie et amours du chevalier de Faubles (1790) and the Lodoiska libs (set by Cherubini, Kreutzer, Mayr etc.) derived from it
Sources, comments : F-Pc*, vs (Milan, 1855)
Il barbiere di Siviglia [orig. title Almaviva, ossia L'inutile precauzione]	commedia, 2	RA, 20 Feb 1816
Libretto : Sterbini, after the play by P.-A. Beaumarchais (1775) and G. Petrosellini's lib for Paisiello: Il barbiere di Siviglia (1782)
Sources, comments : I-Bc* (facs. with introduction by P. Gossett, Rome, 1993), vs (Leipzig, 1820), fs (Rome, 1828), critical edn (Milan, 1969)
La gazzetta	dramma [ob], 2	NFI, 26 Sept 1816	[I/xviii]
Libretto : G. Palomba, after C. Goldoni: Il matrimonio per concorso (1763)
Sources, comments : Nc*, vs (Milan, 1854)
Otello, ossia Il moro di Venezia	dramma, 3	NFO, 4 Dec 1816	I/xix
Libretto : F. Berio di Salsa, after W. Shakespeare (J.F. Ducis adaptation)
Sources, comments : PESr* (facs. in ERO, viii, 1979), vs (Leipzig, 1819–20)
La Cenerentola, ossia La bontà in trionfo	dg, 2	RV, 25 Jan 1817	I/xx
Libretto : J. Ferretti, after C. Perrault: Cendrillon (1697), C.-G. Etienne's lib for N. Isouard (1810) and F. Fiorini's lib for S. Pavesi: Agatina, o La virtù premiata (1814)
Sources, comments : Baf* (facs. with introduction by P. Gossett, BMB, xcii, 1969), excerpt PESr*, vs (Paris, 1822–3, or Leipzig, 1823)
La gazza ladra	melodramma, 2	MSC, 31 May 1817	I/xxi
Libretto : G. Gherardini, after J.M.T. Baudouin d'Aubigny and L.-C. Caigniez: La pie voleuse (1815)
Sources, comments : Mr*, vs (Bonn and Cologne, 1819–20)
Armida	dramma, 3	NC, 9 Nov 1817	I/xxii
Libretto : Schmidt, after T. Tasso: Gerusalemme liberata
Sources, comments : PESr*, excerpt Baf*, vs (Paris, 1823–5, or Leipzig 1823–4)
Adelaide di Borgogna	dramma, 2	RA, 27 Dec 1817
Libretto : Schmidt
Sources, comments : vs (Milan, 1858)
Mosè in Egitto	azione tragico-sacra, 3	NC, 5 March 1818; with rev. Act 3, 7 March 1819	[I/xxiv]
Libretto : A.L. Tottola, after F. Ringhieri: L'Osiride (1760)
Sources, comments : F-Pc* (facs. in ERO, ix, 1979), vs (Paris, 1822), fs (Rome, 1825); rev. as Moïse et Pharaon, 1827
Adina, o Il califfo di Bagdad	farsa, 1	LIC, 22 June 1826; composed 1818	I/xxv
Libretto : G. Bevilacqua-Aldobrandini
Sources, comments : I-PESr*, vs (Milan, 1859)
Ricciardo e Zoraide	dramma, 2	NC, 3 Dec 1818	[I/xxvi]
Libretto : Berio di Salsa, after N. Forteguerri: Il Ricciardetto, cantos xiv and xv
Sources, comments : Nc*, vs (Mainz, 1821–2), fs (Rome, 1829/R1980 in ERO, x)
Ermione	azione tragica, 2	NC, 27 March 1819	I/xxvii
Libretto : Tottola, after J. Racine: Andromaque
Sources, comments : F-Po*, excerpt I-PESr*, vs (Milan, 1858)
Eduardo e Cristina	dramma, 2	VB, 24 April 1819
Libretto : Schmidt, rev. Bevilacqua-Aldobrandini and Tottola from orig. lib for Pavesi: Odoardo e Cristina (1810)
Sources, comments : vs (Paris, 1826–7)
La donna del lago	melodramma, 2	NC, 24 Oct 1819	I/xxix
Libretto : Tottola, after W. Scott: The Lady of the Lake (1810)
Sources, comments : PESr*, vs (Paris, 1822–3)
Bianca e Falliero, ossia Il consiglio dei tre	melodramma, 2	MSC, 26 Dec 1819	I/xxx
Libretto : Romani, after A.-V. Arnault: Blanche et Montcassin, ou Les Vénitiens (1798)
Sources, comments : Mr*, vs (Milan, 1828)
Maometto II	dramma, 2	NC, 3 Dec 1820	[I/xxxi]
Libretto : C. della Valle, after own play Anna Erizo (1820)
Sources, comments : PESr* (inc.), excerpts GB-Lbl*, US-NYp*, I-PAc (facs. in ERO, xi, 1981), vs (Vienna, 1823); rev. as Le siège de Corinthe, 1826
Matilde (di) Shabran, ossia Bellezza, e cuor di ferro	melodramma giocoso, 2	RAP, 24 Feb 1821	[I/xxxii]
Libretto : Ferretti, after F.-B. Hoffmann's lib for Méhul: Euphrosine (1790) and J.M. Boutet de Monvel: Mathilde (play, 1799)
Sources, comments : B-Bmichotte*, vs (Vienna, 1822), fs (Rome, 1833)
Zelmira	dramma, 2	NC, 16 Feb 1822	[I/xxxiii]
Libretto : Tottola, after Dormont de Belloy (1762)
Sources, comments : F-Pc* (facs. in ERO, xii, 1979), excerpts B-Bmichotte* I-PESr*, vs (Vienna, 1822)
Semiramide	melodramma tragico, 2	VF, 3 Feb 1823	[I/xxxiv]
Libretto : Rossi, after Voltaire
Sources, comments : Vt* (facs. in ERO, xiii, 1978), vs (Vienna, 1823), fs (Rome, 1826)
Il viaggio a Reims, ossia L'albergo del giglio d'oro	dg, 1	PI, 19 June 1825	I/xxxv
Libretto : L. Balocchi, after A.-L.-G. de Staël: Corinne, ou L'Italie (1807)
Sources, comments : excerpts Rc*, other orig. material A-Wn, F-Pc
Le siège de Corinthe	tragédie lyrique, 3	PO, 9 Oct 1826
Libretto : Balocchi and A. Soumet, after lib for Maometto II
Sources, comments : rev. of Maometto II, 1820; excerpts Pc*, Po*, I-FOc* and elsewhere, vs (Paris, 1826), fs (Paris, 1826–7/R1980 in ERO, xiv)
Moïse et Pharaon, ou Le passage de la Mer Rouge	opéra, 4	PO, 26 March 1827
Libretto : Balocchi and E. de Jouy, after lib for Mosè in Egitto
Sources, comments : rev. of Mosè in Egitto, 1818–19; excerpts F-Pc*, US-NYp*, STu*, Wc* and elsewhere, vs and fs (Paris, 1827/R1980 in ERO, xv)
Le comte Ory	opéra [oc], 2	PO, 20 Aug 1828
Libretto : Scribe and C.-G. Delestre-Poirson, after their own play (1817)
Sources, comments : partial rev. of Il viaggio a Reims, 1825; excerpts B-Bmichotte*, F-Po*, vs and fs (Paris, 1828/R1978 in ERO, xvi)
Guillaume Tell	opéra, 4	PO, 3 Aug 1829	I/xxxix
Libretto : Jouy, H.-L.-F. Bis and others, after F. von Schiller (1804)
Sources, comments : Pc*, vs and fs (Paris, 1829/R1980 in ERO, xvii)

Rossini, Gioachino: Works

sacred

Title, performing forces	Composition, first performance	Remarks
student compositions, incl.:	1802–9
MS, publication : Lugo, Civico Liceo Musicale Giuseppe e Luigi Malerbi*
Kyrie a tre voci, 2 T, B, orch
Gloria, A, T, B, male chorus, orch
Laudamas, A, bn, orch
Gratias, T, male chorus, orch
Domine Deus, 2 B, orch
Qui tollis, T, orch
Laudamus, Qui tollis, T, vn, orch
Quoniam, B, orch
Crucifixus, S, A, orch
Dixit, 2 T, B, orch
De torrente, B, orch
Gloria Patri, T, orch
Sicut erat, 2 T, B, orch
Magnificat, 2 T, B, orch
Messa (Bologna), 3 sections	Bologna, Chiesa della Madonna di S Luca, 2 June 1808	composite mass by students at the Liceo Musicale
MS, publication : I-Bc (3 MSS, incl. 2*)
Christe eleison, 2 T, B, orch
Benedicta et venerabilis, grad, 2 T, B, orch
Qui tollis; Qui sedes, S, hn, orch
Messa (Ravenna), solo male vv, male chorus, orch; another version for S, A, T, B, male chorus, orch	Ravenna, 1808	only Kyrie, Gloria and Credo
MS, publication : RAs, excerpts in Ravenna, Istituto Musicale Pareggiato G. Verdi*, and in Lugo, Civico Liceo Musicale Giuseppe e Luigi Malerbi*
Messa, solo male vv, male chorus, orch	?1802–9	only Kyrie, Gloria and Credo
MS, publication : Mc*
Messa (Rimini), S, A, T, B, orch	Rimini Cathedral, 1809
MS, publication : F-Pc, vs (Paris, 1881)
Quoniam, B, orch	Sept 1813
MS, publication : vs and fs (Milan, 1851)
Messa di gloria, solo vv, chorus, orch	Naples, S Ferdinando, 24 March 1820
MS, publication : I-Nc†, frag. in B-Bmichotte*, vs (Paris, 1860), EC [III/ii]
Preghiera ‘Deh tu pietoso cielo’, S, pf	c1820
MS, publication : (Naples, 1828)
Tantum ergo, S, T, B, orch	1824
MS, publication : Rieti, Biblioteca Comunale
Stabat mater, 2 S, T, B, chorus, orch
1st version	1832; Madrid, Cappella di S Filippo El Real, Good Friday, 1833	12 nos., 6 by Rossini, others by G. Tadolini
MS, publication : GB-Lbl*, vs (Paris, 1841)
2nd version	1841; PI, 7 Jan 1842	10 nos., all by Rossini
MS, publication : Lbl*, vs and fs (Paris, 1841–2)
3 choeurs religieux, female vv, pf	Paris, Salle Troupenas, 20 Nov 1844
MS, publication : Paris, 1844
1   La foi (P. Goubaux)
2   L'espérance (H. Lucas)
3  La charité (L. Colet)
Tantum ergo, 2 T, B, orch	Bologna, Chiesa di S Francesco dei Minori, 28 Nov 1847
MS, publication : I-Mr*, vs and fs (Milan, 1851)
O salutaris hostia, S, A, T, B	29 Nov 1857	facs. in Azevedo (C1864)
MS, publication : pubd in La maîtrise (15 Dec 1857)
Laus Deo, Mez, pf	1861
MS, publication : pubd in Il piovano arlotto (Florence, 1861)
Petite messe solennelle
1st version, 12 (solo) vv, 2 pf, hmn	1863; Paris, home of Countess L. Pillet-Will, 14 March 1864	4 solo vv, chorus 8vv
MS, publication : PESr*, private collection† (Paris, 1869), EC [III/iv]
2nd version, S, A, T, B, chorus, orch	1867; PI, 24 Feb 1869
MS, publication : PESr*, fs (Paris, 1869)

Rossini, Gioachino: Works