A little Rossini to lighten the mood.

[body2body]

Given all the Sturm und Drang of the last twenty four hours, I thought this charming excerpt from L'Italiana in Algeri performed at the Orange Festival in France might be a brief but pleasant diversion from all the political angst. I must attend this festival someday where the performances are given in a beautiful Roman Amphitheater. The singers are the vivacious Marie-Nicole Lemieux, and the handsome Nicolas Courjal.

[+ azdr0710]

sorry for being an unsophisticated rube, but is that an errant cricket present in the outdoor theater....or part of the music?

[+ WilliamM]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxPPMRqe7Z0

 

With the protests tonight, I suggest "America The Beautiful" as well as Rossini.

 

Judy Garland had just sung a clown (how appropriate) song, thus the clothes and make up.

[body2body]

sorry for being an unsophisticated rube, but is that an errant cricket present in the outdoor theater....or part of the music?

It sounds like there are some birds in residence. I never noticed until you pointed it out.

[whipped guy]

Given all the Sturm und Drang of the last twenty four hours, I thought this charming excerpt from L'Italiana in Algeri performed at the Orange Festival in France might be a brief but pleasant diversion from all the political angst. I must attend this festival someday where the performances are given in a beautiful Roman Amphitheater. The singers are the vivacious Marie-Nicole Lemieux, and the handsome Nicolas Courjal.

Great choice! LOL! The above is from the beginning of the finale to act one... here's the conclusion of the act! Probably the ne plus ultra of the infamous "Rossini crescendo"!

 

 

There is nothing like Rossini to cheer one up!

[bostonman]

here's the conclusion of the act! Probably the ne plus ultra of the infamous "Rossini crescendo"!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-X8KDJQbes

 

Of all the "confusion finales" as I call them (those act-ending big ensembles where the characters all express their utter dismay at what is happening, etc - a mainstay of comic operas of this period, and even some more serious ones), this is certainly the zaniest, with the characters all comparing their state of mind to the intruding sounds of bells ("din din"), hammers ("tac tac"), cannons ("bum bum") and the call of a crow ("cra cra"). Hysterical, in every sense of the word!

[whipped guy]

Of all the "confusion finales" as I call them (those act-ending big ensembles where the characters all express their utter dismay at what is happening, etc - a mainstay of comic operas of this period, and even some more serious ones), this is certainly the zaniest, with the characters all comparing their state of mind to the intruding sounds of bells ("din din"), hammers ("tac tac"), cannons ("bum bum") and the call of a crow ("cra cra"). Hysterical, in every sense of the word!

Yes! The madcap sounds are hilarious! The following quote has been attributed to Rossini regarding L'Italiana in Algeri, "I believed that the Venetians would consider me mad after hearing my opera. Now it appears that they are even madder than I." I'm not if it's true (as it has also been said ro reference Tancredi the opera that preceded it which was a serious opera) but it certainly fits regarding the first act finale and especially with all that onomatopoeia!