Researching for my
Rossini conspectus, published in two
parts by Musicweb-International in November
2005 (Part
1 ) and (Part
2 ) I could find no extant
recording of Torvaldo e Dorliska,
Rossini’s 16th opera. Charles
Osborne in The bel canto Operas
(Methuen 1994) mentions an LP version
under Alberto Zedda with a fine cast
including Cuberli, Valentini-Terrani,
Dara and Nimsgern, but this seems never
to have made it onto CD. Knowing that
the opera had been performed at Bad
Wildbad, known as the Pesaro of the
North, in 2003 and that Naxos had previously
recorded from there, Musicweb approached
the company for me. Naxos confirmed
they had it in the can and I can now
welcome its issue as yet another addition
to the burgeoning list of Rossini operas
readily available on either CD or DVD.
Rossini had already
agreed to compose a work to open the
Carnival Season at Rome’s Teatro Valle
on 26 December 1815 as he prepared his
first opera seria for Naples, Elisabetta,
Regina d’Inghilterra. This was enthusiastically
received at its premiere on 4 October
1815. On his arrival in Rome to rehearse
Il Turco in Italia a month later
he did not like the libretto prepared
for him by Angelo Anelli, the librettist
of L’Italiana in Algeri. Instead
of turning to the more experienced Jacopo
Ferretti he instead commissioned a young
but well-read civil servant, inexperienced
as a librettist, Cesare Sterbini. He
produced a semi-seria libretto that
essentially belongs in the category
of a ‘rescue opera’ of which the outstanding
example is Beethoven’s Fidelio.
The opera is set in
and around the castle of the Duke of
Ordow (bar). The evil Duke is in love
with Dorliska (sop), the wife of the
knight Torvaldo (ten). The Duke had
attacked the couple on their wedding
day with the intent of taking Dorliska
for himself. In the struggle Torvaldo
was wounded and left for dead. Dorliska
having escaped arrives at the castle
and seeks shelter not knowing it is
the home of the Duke. At first she is
given shelter by Giorgio (bass), the
castle guardian, and his wife Carlotta
(mezzo) but is discovered by the Duke.
Torvaldo, who has not been killed, arrives
at the castle in disguise to rescue
her but she inadvertently reveals his
identity and he becomes a prisoner.
Giorgio declares that he is an honourable
man and with the aid of his wife and
disaffected villagers tired of their
tyrant Duke, Torvaldo and Dorliska are
rescued.
Rossini did not try
to import the musical and dramatic initiatives
of his Naples opera to Rome; rather
he presented a traditional structure
with recitative interspersed between
the musical numbers. Although there
are self-borrowings in places the music
has impetus and drama with significant
demands on the principal singers. Bad
Wildbad has a reputation of giving up-and-coming
singers opportunities in this repertoire
together with more experienced colleagues.
The bass Mauro Bianchini as the Duke,
who has sung widely in Italy, the USA
and Australasia, has a sonorous big
voice. I thought at first (CD 1 tr.2)
that the middle of his voice was too
low for the role and he had trouble
maintaining a legato line. However,
his voice warms and his flexibility
improves to the benefit of his characterisation.
He is a villain one can believe in and
his vocal timbre is distinct from the
lighter tone of Mauro Utzeri as the
good guy Giorgio in their scenes together
(CD 2 tr.12). Utzeri has appeared at
the Pesaro festival as well as leading
Italian houses including La Scala. His
lean clear-toned baritone singing is
incisive and he brings the character
to life. As Torvaldo the Welsh tenor
Huw Rhys-Evans hasn’t quite the heady
top to his voice of the ideal Rossini
tenor. His is a light lyric tenor voice
with a metallic edge and rather white
tone. Nonetheless his singing is expressive
and musical and his hero is believable
(CD 1 tr.9). As his wife Dorliska, Paola
Cigna is a little stretched at the top
of her lyric voice (CD 1 tr.5) but colours
and covers her tone well to give a very
convincing portrayal. As Ormando and
his sister Carlotta, essential to the
plot, Giovanni Bellavia (CD 1 tr.12)
and Anna-Rita Gemmabella (CD 2 tr.11)
are vocally distinctive and sing and
portray their roles well.
The Naxos booklet gives
a detailed track-listing, an excellent
track-related synopsis, artist profiles
and an introductory essay, all in English
and German. A full libretto in Italian
is available on the web. With excellent
conducting by Alessandro de Marchi of
the skilled orchestra and chorus, this
performance from Bad Wildbad fills a
gap in the current availability of Rossini
operas on record. Like many live recordings
there is the intrusion of applause,
which can disturb the dramatic flow.
However, another characteristic of Bad
Wildbad is that the applause is encouraging
and never overdone. I never know if
the performances are in concert or staged.
There are no obvious stage noises although
once or twice the balance indicates
a singer moving off mike.
Whilst Rossini was
preparing Torvaldo e Dorliska for
its premiere on 26 December 1815, as
the first opera of the Carnival Season
at the Teatro Valle in Rome, the composer
signed a contract with the rival Teatro
Argentina to compose a comic opera for
later in the season. With little time
for the composition he again turned
down a libretto by Ferretti as unsuitable.
Instead Cesare Sterbini the apprentice
librettist of Torvaldo e Dorliska
provided the verses for the work
of which Verdi said ‘I cannot help
believing that, for abundance of ideas,
comic verve and truth of declamation,
Il Barbiere di Siviglia is the most
beautiful opera buffa in existence’.
It was premiered on 20 February
1816. Although Torvaldo e Dorliska
has not the musical invention of
its successor it does not deserve the
neglect it has had in performance or
on record. The work is being performed
in Pesaro in 2006 with a cast including
Michele Pertusi, Bruno Pratico and Francesaco
Meli among others. Given the quality
of this performance and recording I
would not wait with bated breath to
see if a recording emerges and would
recommend all lovers of Rossini’s operas
to investigate this performance.
Robert J Farr
for
details 
ARS Brunensis Chamber Choir 
