Grove's dictionary of music and musicians

,
'
;
EOSSINI ROSSINI 153
and Rossini, with the support of his parents on
his hands, was ready enough to listen to any
good proposal. He accordingly engaged with
Barbaja to take the musical direction of the
San Carlo and Del Fondo theatres at Naples,
and to compose annually an opera for each.
For this he was to receive 200 ducats (about
£35) per month, with a small share in the
gaming-tables, amounting in addition to some
1000 ducats per annum, for which, however,
he obtained no compensation after the tables
were abolished in 1820.
During Murat's visit to Bologna in April
1816 Rossini composed a cantata in favour of
Italian independence ; but politics were not his
line, and he arrived in Naples fully conscious
of this, and resolved that nothing should induce
him to repeat the experiment. The arrival of
a young composer with so great a reputation
for originality was not altogether pleasing to
Zingarelli, the chief of the Conservatorio, or to
the aged Faisiello. But no intrigues could
prevent the brilliant success of ' Elisabetta,
regina d' Inghilterra, ' which was produced before
the Court for the opening of the autumn season,
1815, and in which Mile. Colbran, Dardanelli,
Manuel Garcia, and Nozzari took the principal
parts. The libretto of this opera was by a
certain Schmidt, and it is a curious fact that
some of its incidents anticipate those of ' Eenilworth,'
which was not published till January
1821. Two historical facts should be noted in
regard to ' Elisabetta.' It is the first opera in
which Rossini so far distrusted his singers as to
write in the ornaments of the airs ; and it is
also the first in which he replaced the redtativo
secco by a recitative accompanied by the string
quartet. The overture and the finale to the
first act of ' Elisabetta ' are taken from ' Aure-
Uano.'
Shortly before Christmas Rossini left Naples
1 We have RoMinl'fl ovn authority for th]B. and for tbe opera
having been written in thirteen days, in hie letter to H. Scltivaiut.
See JJuticaZ World, Nov. 6, 1676, p. 751.
the verdict of a theatre crammed with partisans
is seldom just. It is also as changeable as the
winds, or as Fortune herself. Though hissed
on the first night, ' Almaviva ' was listened to
with patience on the second, advanced in favour
night by night, and ended by becoming, under
the title of ' II Barbiere di Siviglia,' one of the
most popular comic operas ever composed, and
actually eclipsing in spirit and wit the comedy
on which it is founded. It was acted by Giorgi-
Righetti (Rosina), Rossi (Berta), Zamboni
(Figaro), Garcia (Almaviva), Botticelli (Bartolo)
and Vitarelli (Basilic). The original overture
was lost, and the present one belongs to 'Elisabetta
' ; the opening of the cavatina Ecco
'
ridente ' is borrowed from the opening of the
first chorus in ' Aureliano.' The air of Berta,
'
II vecchietto cerca moglie,' was suggested by a
Russian tune, and the eight opening bars of the
trio ' Zitti, zitti ' are notoriously taken note for
note from Simon's air in Haydn's ' Seasons.
Indeed it is astonishing that, with his extraordinary
memory, his carelessness, and his
habitual hurry, Rossini should not have borrowed
oftener than he did. He received 400 scudi
(£80) for the ' Barbiere,' and it was composed
and mounted in a month. When some one told
Donizetti that it had been written in thirteen
days, 'Very possible,' was his answer, 'he is so
lazy.'
Lazy as he was, Rossini was destined to write
twenty operas in eight years, 1815-23. On
his return to Naples after the Carnival of 1816,
and the gradual success of the ' Barbiere, ' he
found the San Carlo theatre in ashes. Barbaja
undertook to rebuild it more magnificently than
before in nine months. He kept his word, and
thus acquired not only the protection but the
favour of the king. Rossini obtained the same
boon by composing a giand cantata entitled 'Teti
e Peleo ' for the marriage of the Duchesse de
Berry. No sooner had he completed this than
he dashed off a two-act comic opera entitled La
'
Gazzetta' to a libretto by Tottola, which was
'
Otello,' which was brought out at the Teatro
'
Se il padre, ' and the romance of the Willow,
for Rome to write and bring out two works for
which he was under engagement. The first of
these, 'Torvaldo e Dorliska,' produced at the
Tea'troValle, Dec. 26, 1815, was coldly received, produced at the Teatro dei Fiorentini, Naples,
but the second, ' Almaviva, ossia 1' inutile precauzione,'
and which, although in the hands of a clever
founded on Beaumarchais' ' Barbier and charming actress like Chambrand, and of
de Seville,' by Sterbini, which made its first two such public favourites as Pellegrini and
appearance at the Argentina, Feb. 6, 1816, was Casaccia, was but moderately successful. Rossini
unmistakably damned. The cause of this was completed his reform of serious opera by his
the predilection of the Romans for Paisiello, and
their determination to make an example of an del Fondo, Naples, Dec. 4, 1816, with Isabella
innovator who had dared to reset a libretto Colbran, Nozzari, Davide, Cicimarra, and Benedetti
already treated by their old favourite. Rossini
as its interpreters. Some of the most
with excellent taste and feeling, had inquired of remarkable features of this work, such as the
Paisiello, before adopting the subject, whether finale of the first act, the duet ' Non m'inganno,'
doing so would annoy the veteran, whose ' Barbiere
and the passionate trio of defiance, were not at
' hjid been for a quarter of a century the first appreciated : thetouchingairofDesdemona,
favourite of Europe, and not unnaturally believed
that after this step he was secure from the illwill
with harp accompaniment, were better received
of Paisiello's friends and admirers.' But but the tragic termination of the whole was
very distasteful to the public, and when the
opera was taken to Rome, it was found necessary
I