Gioachino Rossini - La Cenerentola - Ouverture (Alberto Zedda)

It has been a while since I've replenished my current collection of Rossini's comical music, so I decided to return to it with my personal favorite excepts from the maestro's version of the archetypal story of a young woman living through impossible torment before being rewarded for constance: Cinderella.

"La Cenerentola", premiered in 1817, was almost immediately (after an initially lukewarm first night, though) a popular success and, moreover, never entirely passed out of the operatic repertoire during the time when operas of Rossini's period were out of favor, reaffirming its' charm over audiences of both centuries. It still remains one of Rossini's best known works and for good reason: the piece provides us with tauntingly realistic treatment of the original story made only more stunning by some of Rossini's most lyrical passages and explosive comical moments.

Interestingly enough, the work strays as far away from the original prototypical story: don't expect fairy godmothers and glass slippers here (the slipper is replaced by a bracelet (in order to comply with current moral standards and not show the ankle), by which the Prince recognizes Cinderella at the end of the opera); Perrault's famous fairy tale is stripped of virtually all supernatural characters and events in this very loose adaptation of it, making for a much more down-to-earth but nonetheless rewarding story of how "goodness triumphs". On a side note, the replacement "fairy godmother" - Alindoro - actually seems to be a sort of an echo of the original supernatural calling forth, in Act Two, a storm that forces Ramiro to seek shelter in the castle of Don Magnifico, so the question of just how much is the story "realistic" remains very much alive. Still, we are faced by a much more truthful reexamination that only serves to highlight the sheer immorality of what Cinderella has to suffer through. The original story itself is no piece of Christmas pie: the heroine (or to cite her proper name as used in the work, Angelina) suffers continuous indignities from her relatives (here, her father and two stepsisters) during the whole work, only being acknowledged, rather unsatisfyingly, at the very end when her family has no other options. But Rossini's adaptation uses an even more heart-breaking story: the gorgeous Act One quintet has Don Magnifico, Angelina's own father, swearing, right before his daughter, that she is dead. We are not shown how Cinderella's life was before the beginning of action but this episode alone paints such a deeply moving tragedy: the young woman simply wants acceptance, nothing more, and her final triumph is rather enigmatic, what will come of her relationship with her family? Still, Rossini's music, in spite of this, paints a story that one believes from the beginning to the end, one truly hopes, by the very final coda, that all will end in happiness.

I'm going for a recording that is perhaps not as common as, for example, renditions centered on the heroines of Berganza, Baltsa, Larmore or Bartoli: a 2004 live recording under the leadership of the Rossini trouper, Alberto Zedda. Featuring good sound and clear orchestration, as well as a balanced ensemble, it remains my personal favorite, in spite of all the other renditions available. As I'm trying to concentrate on relatively obscure pieces or, at the very least, on the pieces not as often cited as the "hits" :), the selections include the following: the overture (to set up a suitable opening for the other pieces), the superb Quartet/Quintet and the magnificent Finale from Act One; Don Magnifico's third aria and, finally, the first movement of the penultimate Sextet. Let us press on forward to the first piece.

The overture, like several other famous orchestral piece by Rossini (including the seemingly hand-in-glove "Il Barbiere" opening), includes material recycled from earlier operas - in this case "La gazzetta", "Il turco in Italia" (which I will post after I've finished posting all the pieces from the present work) and "La pietra del paragone". But it doesn't really matter. The result is a thoroughly enjoyable confection that seems fully appropriate for this slightly sentimental, slightly comical opera. The overture falls into the usual Rossini shape with a slow introduction followed by a little symphonic allegro that, though lacking a development section, is loaded with surprises, including an extended crescendo that serves as the closing theme, an opening theme that proceeds stagily in fits and starts and a delightful turn on the piccolo in the recapitulation of the second theme.

Hope you'll enjoy :)!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Rossini
• La
• Cenerentola
• classical
• belcanto
• coloratura

[FountainofFire]

i just LOVE 3:19-3:47 & 6:03-6:31!

[sherkin735]

Brilliant! Thanks for uploading. Piece on the side is great. Very interesting. :)

[jorgecabrales]

:D :D :D it makes me happy :D

[WritingGirl24]

I saw this opera back in May... it was absolutely magnificent! I loved every moment and wish I could see it again from a better seat since I could only afford one in the very back of the opera house. Worth the nosebleed just to see it though.

[hot5pur11]

If I heard this for the first time and not known who the composer was, I would have attributed this to Joseph Haydn.. a truly fantastic piece of music!

[MagnumReisenfeld786]

Download the audio from this video at speedyconversion doht cohm.

[VanoGamkrelidze]

@FountainofFire i just LOVE the entire piece.

[TornaZefiro]

LindoroRossini chi è l'autore del quadro in sottofondo?? Who is the author of the paints??

[mrjimy]

Who is the author of the paints?? Chi è l'autore di quelle pitture?

[milligoree]

This version is a little too slow and old school 'serious' for me. I like my Rossini at full tilt where you feel like you'll shoot off at any minute! But thanks for the post, was interesting to hear :)

[maxtanz]

Alberto è un grandissimo

[KBLakersDynasty24]

Does anyone know how to write a concert report on this? It would be a big help, thanks!