After its premiere, the opera received a lukewarm reception from the press, who blamed the composer, stating his 'genius seems to have fallen asleep in this opera'.
Notable Performances
Adelaide di Borgogna had only five productions between its premiere and 1825, after which it vanished completely from the stage until a modern-day concert revival in London in 1978.
Composition History
Impresario Pietro Cartoni once had Rossini compelled by police to leave Naples and then incarcerated him in his house until he completed the opera Cenerentola.
Compositional Technique
Rossini reused parts of Almaviva's Rondo 'Cessa di più resistere' from his opera Il barbiere di Siviglia in Adelaide's scena and aria (No. 14) in this opera.
Recording & Production
This recording of Adelaide di Borgogna was made live at the Trinkhalle, Bad Wildbad, Germany, in July 2014 for the XXVI ROSSINI IN WILDBAD Festival.
Composer Biography
Rossini had a friendly relationship with impresario Pietro Cartoni, for whom he had previously written Torvaldo e Dorliska and La Cenerentola, and was even godfather to Cartoni's daughter Sofia.
Composition History
Rossini was contractually obligated to write an inaugural opera for the 1817/1818 carnival at the Teatro Argentina in Rome.
