L'italiana in Algeri

Clear the stage for a circus of male vanities and female ingenuity: Right after the overture, the choir states that women are born solely to serve men – but then, things turn out quite differently. Mustafà is tired of his wife Elvira and plans to marry her off to Lindoro. Enter the Italian girl Isabella, who charms Mustafà and takes control of the situation without anybody noticing. Rossini’s musical finesse in this sassy comedy about the magic of seduction made him the undisputed king of opera buffa and bel canto – an “organised and complete madness” (Stendhal). Astonished by the enthusiastic audience reaction to his cheeky romantic burlesque at its premiere at the Teatro San Benedetto, the composer concluded, „I thought the Venetians would think I was crazy after hearing my opera; now it turns out they are even crazier than I am!”