Giachino Rossini wrote 39 operas, and unfortunately, only a handful are regularly performed. However, we’re going to look at one of those lesser-known works (number 18 of the 39) on this week’s Sunday Opera (5/11 3:00 p.m.). it’s “Ricciardo e Zoraida” which premiered in Naples in 1818 and is considered by many to be a perfect example of bel canto singing.
The libretto is by Francesco Berio di Salsa and is based on two cantos of an epic poem by Niccolo Forteguerri. The recording is of a live performance that took place at the Rossini in Wildbad Festival in 2013.
In brief, King Ircano (Nahuel Di Pierro) has been ousted from his kingdom. He and his daughter Zoraide (Alessandra Marianelli) have established a new home near the boarder of Dongola in Nubia. Zoraide has fallen in love with the Crusader Ricciardo (Maxim Moronov), but she is also in the object of desire of lustful king of Nubia, Agorante (Randall Bills), much to the chagrin of his wife, Zomira (Silvia Beltrami) who tries to undermine Zoraide at every turn.
Through the course of the opera, Agorante kidnaps Zoraide in order to force her to marry him. Ricciardo and his Crusaders attack Agorante, but are defeated, and Ricciardo is sentenced to death along with Ircano. Zoraide can save one of them if she agrees to marry Agorante, and she chooses to save her father.
Just as all hope seems to be lost, a friend of Ricciardo, Ernesto (Artavaszd Sargsyan) arrives, defeats Agorante’s army, and frees the captives for a happy ending.
Joining the principal cast members are Bartosz Zolubak, Anna Brull, and Diana Mian. Jose Miguel Perez-Sierra conducts the Camerata Bach Choir Poznan and the Virtuosi Brunensis.
We have just enough time to squeeze in more music of Rossini after the opera, his Messa di Lugo (also known as the Messa di Ravenna). This early version of the Messa di Gloria written between 1802 and 1808, is said to be more operatic than the longer and better-known work.
The performance of the Messa di Lugo to which we’ll be listening comes from the same Rossini in Wildbad festival as the opera. The soloists are Elbe Mohlmann, Cosmina Cordun, Giovanni Botta, Pavel Brslik, Teru Yoshihara, and Dariusz Machej. They’re joined by the Czech Chamber Soloists Brno and the Czech Chamber Choir. The conductor here is Gabriele Bellini.
