Gioachino Rossini, one of the most brilliant and best-known Italian composers, was born in Pesaro exactly 220 years ago, in a leap year, on 29 February 1792.
In the Casanatense Library, in addition to a series of transcriptions of symphonies and arias taken from numerous melodramas by Rossini, both in manuscript copies and in printed editions, the original editions of 3 dramas for music are preserved, printed in Rome by Litografia Ratti and Cencetti, all from the Baini Fund.
1. Moses in Egypt. Tragic-sacred action in 3 acts, with a libretto by Andrea Leone Tottola, from the tragedy L’Osiris by Francesco Ringhieri. It was performed for the first time at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples on 5 March 1818, with success, although the public appreciated the first two acts more than the last. In fact, Rossini had to rewrite it completely, and add the famous prayer Dal tuo stellato soglio, the most famous piece of the opera. It fell into oblivion after the new French version, entitled Moïse et Pharaon. [Mus. 182-183]
2. Ricciardo and Zoraide. Serious drama in two acts, with a libretto by Francesco Berio di Salsa, who had already written the libretto of his Otello for Rossini and is partly based on the poem Ricciardetto (1783) by Niccolò Forteguerri. It was performed for the first time at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples on 3 December 1818. [Mus. 184-185]
3. The siege of Corinth or Muhammad II. Lyrical tragedy in 3 acts, with a libretto by Calisto Bassi. Mohammed II was written to a libretto by Cesare Della Valle, taken from the tragedy Anna Erizo (written by Della Valle himself), inspired by the episode of the war between the Venetians and the Turks and the fall of Negroponte in 1476. It was performed for the first time at San Carlo Theater in Naples on 3 December 1820, and it was a failure, mainly due to the overly tragic ending (rare in Rossini). For a subsequent performance in Venice in 1822 Rossini modified some pieces and changed the tragic ending to a happy one, using Elena’s famous rondo from La Donna del lago, but the opera was equally unsuccessful. Later, Rossini developed a revision of the opera for the Parisian stage, adapting some pieces and composing new ones: in 1826, therefore, The Siege of Corinth debuted, with good success with the public, and the fame of the Siege overshadowed that of Muhammad, which was no longer performed. [Mus. 176-178]