Watching this production, it is hard to believe that this youthful work (something like Rossini's eighth and one of six he composed in 1812) only achieved a modest five performances at its first venue, the Teatro San Moise in Venice. The typical Rossini panache for handling of comic situations and the seemingly effortless penning of florid vocal lines are already all securely in place. It is melodious from beginning to end. The libretto too (despite one or two ridiculous "plot twists" in the denouement - but hey this is Italian farce!) is deftly handled and swiftly advances the action to a happy ending.
It is really difficult to find lots of opera committed to video from an actual stage production, where the apparent ages of the cast match perfectly those of the characters they are playing. In this production the women (Monica Bacelli and Susan Patterson) are young and attractive, while the two male leads, (the baritone Natale de Carolis and tenor Robert Gambill) are actually tall and handsome enough to be in movies. The stock buffo (comic) character of the manservant is also suitably cast, with Alessandro Corbelli noticeably smaller in stature and more worn of appearance than his youthful master. Of course this is not all, the performances - both acting and vocally - are also well nigh impeccable. It is so wonderful to hear an entire cast of principals who have the Rossini style to perfection. Robert Gambill (Count Alberto) in particular took my breath away in his aria -such perfect runs and glorious tone that I cannot understand why he isn't the Bel Canto Man of the Moment (instead of Juan Diego Florez). Susan Patterson in the heroine role of Berenice shines in her big aria, (just) balancing technical precision and outraged tone. Gianluigi Gelmetti draws a spirited performance from his singers and the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, while stage director Michael Hampe goes for just the amount of farcical hi-jinx. Add to this the setting of the Roccoco Schwetzingen Theatre and the entire experience of watching an opera of this genre, is pretty hard to beat.
It is really difficult to find lots of opera committed to video from an actual stage production, where the apparent ages of the cast match perfectly those of the characters they are playing. In this production the women (Monica Bacelli and Susan Patterson) are young and attractive, while the two male leads, (the baritone Natale de Carolis and tenor Robert Gambill) are actually tall and handsome enough to be in movies. The stock buffo (comic) character of the manservant is also suitably cast, with Alessandro Corbelli noticeably smaller in stature and more worn of appearance than his youthful master. Of course this is not all, the performances - both acting and vocally - are also well nigh impeccable. It is so wonderful to hear an entire cast of principals who have the Rossini style to perfection. Robert Gambill (Count Alberto) in particular took my breath away in his aria -such perfect runs and glorious tone that I cannot understand why he isn't the Bel Canto Man of the Moment (instead of Juan Diego Florez). Susan Patterson in the heroine role of Berenice shines in her big aria, (just) balancing technical precision and outraged tone. Gianluigi Gelmetti draws a spirited performance from his singers and the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, while stage director Michael Hampe goes for just the amount of farcical hi-jinx. Add to this the setting of the Roccoco Schwetzingen Theatre and the entire experience of watching an opera of this genre, is pretty hard to beat.