Uploaded by onlymenow55 on Apr 10, 2011
In 1822, Beethoven wrote to Rossini, the undisputed master of comic opera, "...The Barber of Seville.. will be played as long as Italian opera exists. Never try to write anything else but opera buffa; any other style would do violence to your nature." When Rossini met the dramatic soprano who was to become his wife, he began to write music for serious genre opera that proved Beethoven's advice unnecessary. Semiramide is based on a play by Voltaire about the legendary Queen of ancient Babylon, a war between the Babylonians and the Assyrians, and a dark, oedipal tale of murder, intrigue, ghosts, and the struggle for power. The overture is one of Rossini's finest, beginning with the classic "Rossini crescendo", followed by a French horn chorale. The overture of Rossini's time was designed to grab the attention of the audience prior to the beginning of the performance. Semiramide achieves this objective but in addition features the themes of the opera itself, setting
the example for the modern overture
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