Gioachino Rossini - Matilde di Shabran - "Ah! Capisco! Non parlate" (Annick Massis, Juan Diego Florez, Bruno de Simone & Carlo Lepore)

The series of musical excepts from Giachino Rossini's operas, entitled "Master of Belcanto", continues with new uploads and a whole new concept.

I decided to do something a bit different for my new upload: a compilation based on a single theme which is featured prominently in all selections. The first theme is love (what else :)?). The compilation is entitled: "Tornami a dir che m'ami".

Originally, I had planned a more diverse program which would have included arias as well as duets. But when I saw the size of the content I wanted to upload (the remaining compilation is about two hours long), I decided to do love arias as a separate series.

The chosen items include love scenes from the very first to the very last operas by Rossini. We start at "L'occasione fa il ladro" with a simple pastoral duet and finish at the beginning of the second act of "Guillaume Tell" with a romantic grand scena. Such an approach gives us a chance to understand how Rossini's composing style changed with each passing year. The presented excepts are listed below with some notes detailing their characteristics.

As the whole compilation is quite large, I'm going to upload everything slowly.

1) «Se non m'inganna il core» for Alberto and Berenice from «L'occasione fa il ladro».

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G7oEY...

2) «Quanto e dolce a un'alma amante» for Florville and Sofia from "Il Signor Bruschino".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhnGNd...

3) "L'aura che intorno spiri" for Amenaide and Tancredi from "Tancredi".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chud9_...

4) "Credete alle femmine" for Selim and Fiorilla from "Il turco in Italia".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Muw9K8...

5) "Quest'ultimo addio" for Torvaldo and Dorliska from "Torvaldo e Dorliska".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zocAya...

6) "Ah qual colpo" for Almaviva and Rosina (plus, Figaro) from "Il barbiere di Siviglia".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk3uP2...

7) "Un soave che non e" for Ramiro and Angelina from "La Cenerentola".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxLHxW...

8) "Amor! Possente nome" for Armida and Rinaldo from "Armida".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qMyMK...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rma-wu...

9) "Ah! Se puoi cosi lasciarmi" for Elcia and Osiride from "Mose in Egitto".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0zNGO...

10) "Vivere io non potro" for Elena and Malcolm from "La donna del lago".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2CPPQUFNjg

11) "Ah! Capisco! Non parlate" for Matilde, Corradino, Isidoro and Ginardo from "Matilde di Shabran".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy-qCc8QXHM

Again, as in the case of "Il barbiere", not a love duet per se, or even a duet for that matter. The whole scene between Matilde and Corradino is actually the beginning of the Act 1 Finale, plus it can actually be considered a quartet. The ensemble narratively follows Matilde as she starts to bend Corradino around her little finger, while Corradino's servants comment on their master's more and more warmer disposition.

The piece doesn't follow the strict outline we saw in many of the previous duets. It starts with both "lovers" singing a strophe on the same musical backdrop; the rest looks more like a conversation, with little ariosos in between; finally, we get a brilliant allegro as Corradino finally falls under the charms of his pretty guest.

Here we have Juan Diego Florez, Annick Massis, Bruno de Simone & Carlo Lepore as they frolic, barely containing there amusement with the scene.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Florez
• Massis
• Rossini
• coloratura

[Vanchy58]

Interesante opera del inconfundible arte rossiniano !

[DieSinanO]

Thanks for posting this piece, LindoroRossini--although I wish there were some live action to go with it.

[leoperarm]

I love Rossini!!! My second favorite composer, only after Mozart.

He has something, his use of coloratura, and those typical endings of many ensembles are just wonderful!!!