  PART I. ROSSINI AND HIS EARLY WORKS. PART III. ROSSINI'S FRENCH CAREER. Every attempt has been made to replicate the original as printed. Some typographical errors have been corrected; a list follows the text. Contents. (etext transcriber's note) |
Portrait of Rossini with a Signature Engraved by J. Brown, from a Sketch taken at Naples, 1820.
Engraved by J. Brown, from a Sketch taken at Naples, 1820.
THE
LIFE OF ROSSINI.
BY
H. SUTHERLAND EDWARDS.
IN ONE VOLUME.
LONDON:
HURST AND BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS,
13, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.
1869.
The Right of Translation is Reserved.
LONDON:
BRADBURY, EVANS, AND CO., PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARS.
CONTENTS.
| INTRODUCTION. | |
| PAGE | |
| Rossini’s Influence, and Success | |
| PART I. ROSSINI AND HIS EARLY WORKS. | |
|---|---|
| CHAPTER I. ROSSINI’S YOUTH. | |
| Pedigree and Arms—Rossini’s First Work—Rondo Finale—Five Operas in one Year—Rossini and the Conscription—“Un Curioso Accidente”—The Mombelli Family—An Operatic Burlesque | |
| CHAPTER II. ITALIAN OPERA UNTIL “TANCREDI.” | |
| Rossini’s Innovations—Rossini and an old HabituÉ—The Opera at Naples—Scarlatti and his School | |
| CHAPTER III. FOUR HISTORICAL OPERAS. | |
| Pergolese and Gluck—Cimarosa and Paisiello | |
| CHAPTER IV. MOZART AND ROSSINI. | |
| Mozart in Germany; and Abroad | |
| CHAPTER V. ROSSINI’S REFORMS IN SERIOUS OPERA. | |
| The Basso Cantante—Overture to “Tancredi”—Rossini’s Crescendo—“Di tanti palpiti” | |
| CHAPTER VI. ROSSINI’S REFORMS IN COMIC OPERA. | |
| “L’Italiana in Algeri”—Anecdote of a Duet—Liveliness and Laziness | |
| CHAPTER VII. ROSSINI’S REFORMS IN WRITING FOR THE VOICE. | |
| “Aureliano in Palmira”—The Sopranists—Porpora and Caffarelli—Rossini and Velluti—Vocal Embroidery—Singers and Composers—Change of System—A Royal Singing-master | |
| CHAPTER VIII. FROM MILAN TO NAPLES. | |
| “Il Turco in Italia”—A Fiasco—The Opera at Rome—The Opera at Turin—Operatic Subventions—The Two-Act Division—Baldness of Rossini’s Managers | |
| PART II. ROSSINI AT NAPLES. | |
| CHAPTER I. ROSSINI, BARBAJA, AND MDLLE. COLBRAN. | |
| The Illustrious Barbaja—Mademoiselle Colbran—A Patriotic Hymn | |
| CHAPTER II. “ELISABETTA”: ROSSINI’S DEBUT AT NAPLES. | |
| “Elisabetta”—Accompaniment of Recitative | |
| CHAPTER III. ROSSINI VISITS ROME—“TORVALDO E DORLISKA.” | |
| Rossini’s Barber | |
| CHAPTER IV. BEAUMARCHAIS, PAISIELLO, AND ROSSINI. | |
| “Le Barbiere de Seville”—Beaumarchais’ Preface—La Calunnia—Paisiello’s “Barbiere” | |
| CHAPTER V. “THE BARBER OF SEVILLE.” | |
| Contract for the “Barber”—Rossini and the Music-Publishers—Getting to work—The Composer and the Librettist—Hard work—Preface to the “Barber” | |
| CHAPTER VI. “THE BARBER OF SEVILLE”—FIRST REPRESENTATION. | |
| The Two Overtures—Madame Giorgi Righetti—Almaviva’s Air—Trio of the Music-Lesson—Transpositions | |
| CHAPTER VII. “OTELLO”: FURTHER REFORMS IN OPERA SERIA. | |
| Cast of “Otello”—Davide—Progress of Instrumentation—The Clarinet—Brass Instruments—A Solo on the Kettledrum | |
| CHAPTER VIII. ROSSINI’S REPRODUCTIONS FROM HIMSELF. | |
| Religious and Secular Music—Borrowed Pieces—Parts in “Il Barbiere”—“La Cenerentola” and “Il Barbiere” | |
| CHAPTER IX. “LA GAZZA LADRA”: THE CONTRALTO VOICE. | |
| The Magpie and the Trowel—Beethoven and Paer—Contralto parts—Overture to “La Gazza Ladra”—A Drum-hater—Operatic prayers | |
| CHAPTER X. “ARMIDA,” “ADELAIDA,” AND “ADINA.” | |
| “Adina,” an Opera for Lisbon | |
| CHAPTER XI. “MOSÈ IN EGITTO”: REFORMS IN OPERA SERIA. | |
| Emancipation of the Serious Basso—Musical Fevers—Crossing the Red Sea—The Preghiera | |
| CHAPTER XII. THREE UNFAMILIAR WORKS. | |
| “Ermione”—Memory of a Neapolitan Merchant—New Music and Old | |
| CHAPTER XIII. SACRED AND SECULAR SUBJECTS. | |
| An Operatic Mass—Secular and Religious Music | |
| CHAPTER XIV. “LA DONNA DEL LAGO.” | |
| Operatic Subjects—Classical and Mythological Opera—Victor Hugo on the Libretto—New Combination—“Robert Bruce.” | |
| CHAPTER XV. END OF ROSSINI’S ITALIAN CAREER. | |
| Departure from Naples—“Matilda di Sabran”—Rossini’s Marriage—Carpani and “Zelmira”—Madame Rossini—“Semiramide”—Farewell to the Italian Stage | |
| PART III. ROSSINI’S FRENCH CAREER. | |
| CHAPTER I. A VISIT TO LONDON—ROSSINI AND GEORGE IV. | |
| A Successful Manager—Rossini’s English Adapters—His Popularity in London—Rossini and George IV.—Concert at Almack’s—Rossini on his stay in England—Art in London Drawing-rooms | |
| CHAPTER II. ROSSINI’S OPERA FOR THE KING’S THEATRE. | |
| Operatic Management in England—The Missing Act | |
| CHAPTER III. ROSSINI IN PARIS. | |
| Musical Feuds in Paris—Rossini in a Vaudeville—Berton and Paer—Boieldieu and the French Rossinists—Auber and Rossini’s Music—“Art is lost” | |
| CHAPTER IV. ROSSINI AND HIS CRITICS. | |
| “Signor Crescendo”—Paisiello’s “Barbiere”—Curious instance of Antipathy | |
| CHAPTER V. ROSSINI AT THE ITALIAN OPERA OF PARIS. | |
| Rossini and Paer—“Il Viaggio a Reims”—“Andiamo a Parigi”—Rossini and Bellini | |
| CHAPTER VI. ROSSINI AT THE ACADEMIE. | |
| Rossini on “Ermione”—Italian Artists at the French Opera—“Le SiÈge de Corinthe”—Rossini’s Profits as a Composer—“MoÏse”—M. Scribe as a Librettist—The Royal Italian Opera | |
| CHAPTER VII. “GUILLAUME TELL.” | |
| The Libretto—Beauty of the Music—Avoidance of the “Cavatina”—Dramatic Effects peculiar to Operas | |
| CHAPTER VIII. ROSSINI AFTER “WILLIAM TELL.” | |
| Windmills and Wind—Industry and Idleness—Rossini’s “Faust”—After “Guillaume Tell”—Rossini and M. Guizot | |
| CHAPTER IX. THE “STABAT MATER.” | |
| Rossini and Mendelssohn—Religious and Secular Styles—Heine on the “Stabat Mater”—Rossini’s Mass—Three Masterpieces | |
