The Bad Wildbad festival
has become known as the ‘Pesaro of the
North’. It not only makes a speciality
of Rossini’s works but also presents
often long forgotten Italian operas
by German composers of similar vintage.
The 2002 Festival juxtaposed Peter Von
Winter’s Maometo, which had lain unperformed
for 150 years, with Rossini’s Maometto
II composed for Naples in 1820. In my
review of the Von Winter work,
issued on Naxos’s sister label, Marco
Polo, I explained that the two works
derived from totally different literary
sources and that the plot and characters
are in no way related.
Maometto II was premiered
at the San Carlo Opera in Naples on
December 3rd 1820. It was
the eighth and arguably the most radical
of the reform operas that the composer
wrote for performance at that theatre.
These works were ‘reform’ in that, distanced
from the populist clamour of Rome, Rossini
was able to move away from static stage
scenes and simplistic orchestral forms
such as crescendos. At Naples he also
had the benefit of an outstanding orchestra
and an unequalled roster of star singers.
Starting in 1975 the Philips label recorded
four of Rossini’s Neapolitan operas
with a star-studded cast of international
soloists. This series concluded with
Maometto II in 1983. The Maometto recording
featured Samuel Ramey as Maometto and
June Anderson as Anna. It has recently
joined the other three works at mid-price.
But hey! Naxos claims this issue to
be a ‘World Premiere Recording’. How
come? The answers lie in the small print
and performing practice in the 19th
century. By this practice the composer
was only paid by the commissioning theatre
and then only for those subsequent productions
elsewhere that he personally supervised.
Composers tried to restrict dissemination
of orchestral and vocal scores. Despite
Rossini’s efforts an appropriated and
bowdlerised version of Maometto was
presented at Venice’s small San Benedetto
theatre on 21st September
1822. Rossini was scheduled to present
an opera for the opening night at La
Fenice, Venice’s premiere theatre, later
that year. The contract stipulated that
the work had to be new to the theatre.
Maometto with its plot harking back
to Venice’s historical past was ideal.
However, Venice was not sophisticated.
Naples and Rossini needed to adapt the
score to more simplistic forms and supply
a happy ending. Similarly, the contracted
soloists, whilst of appropriate vocal
range, were not of the quality of those
at Naples. The upshot was that Rossini
made radical revisions to the score
and reduced the burden on the soloists
by removal of several solo items. The
revisions are outlined in some detail
in the booklet accompanying this Naxos
issue, as is a brief mention of the
rewrite the composer carried out when
the work was presented in Paris in 1826
as ‘Le Siège de Corinthe’. This
recording of the Venice version is around
20 minutes shorter than the Naples version
recorded by Philips.
The musical performance
at Bad Wildbad is vibrant with well-sprung
rhythms and forward momentum under the
baton of the Australian Brad Cohen who
is proving himself to be an outstanding
Rossinian. The engineers have captured
a clean sound with the soloists and
orchestra in a clear natural perspective.
I believe the performances from which
the recording derived were concert rather
than staged. Consequently there is no
extraneous stage noise or loss of sound
as singers move around. It is only applause
that distinguishes the recording from
best studio practice. The applause is
largely limited to the end of the overture
and scenes except for that at the end
of the recognition duet (CD 3 trs. 2-3)
when it is rather raucous and intrusive.
Maometto is a bel-canto
opera. The singing of the soloists makes
or breaks a performance. Bad Wildbad
has shown itself to be adept at casting
young affordable upcoming singers. So
it is here where all the soloists acquit
themselves well. Whilst the young Israeli
bass Denis Sedov in the name part doesn’t
have the sappy resonant tone of Sam
Ramey on the Philips, yet his singing
is strong, characterful and true toned
(CD 1 tr. 8). The Calbo of Anna-Rita
Gemmabella, who has sung at La Scala,
is more the low mezzo indicated in her
artist profile than the contralto shown
on the title page. She has an extended
and resonant lower register (CD 3 tr.
5) and a wide range of vocal colour
and expression. She uses her vocal skills
to give an outstanding interpretation.
As Erisso, the heroine Anna’s father,
Massimiliano Barbolini sounds a little
young for the role. Somewhat dry-toned
he sounds a little tired at the end
of Act 1 (CD 2 tr.2). Despite these
reservations his contribution is significant
and his runs are secure and without
aspirates. He has a good future in this
fach. As Anna, Philips fielded the lyric
coloratura soprano June Anderson in
the role. Here Luisa Islam-Ali-Zade,
a mezzo, takes the part. Her biographical
note claims a range of three octaves.
Certainly she has no trouble with either
the coloratura or the tessitura. Her
full tone allows for a wide range of
expression that adds greatly to the
dramatic impact of the part, which is
central to the drama. Luisa Islam-Ali-Zade’s
voice has a quick vibrato that can become
fluttery and there are times when she
over-stresses for dramatic effect. Despite
those minor limitations I derived more
pleasure and had greater involvement
in the drama than I do with Anderson
on Philips. All the minor parts are
well taken.
I have already referred
to the excellent booklet essay which
together with a track listing and track-related
synopsis is given in English and German.
There is an error in the synopsis in
both the English and German in that
the numbering for CD 1 moves from 5
(Scene and Terzetto) to 6 (Chorus and
Cavatina). The latter is in fact track
8 and is correctly shown as such in
the track listing. The missing track
numbers 6 and 7 should be attributed
to Scenes 3 and 4 as described in the
synopsis.
This recording is a
must for all who enjoy Rossini’s operas.
As more and more of the composer’s works
become available on CD it also provides
a wonderful opportunity for enthusiasts
and scholars to hear the thoughts of
a master musician accommodating to different
audiences and performers. It will take
a proud place on my shelves alongside
the twenty odd of the composers operas
that are already there.
Robert J Farr
Czech Philharmonic Choir, Brno 