At its premiere, the court left the theatre after the opera to allow the audience to freely express their enthusiasm, leading to an 'applauding revolution' for Rossini.
Recording & Production
This recording of Elisabetta regina d'Inghilterra is based on a new edition by Aldo Salvagno, created from autograph and period manuscripts for ROSSINI IN WILDBAD.
Historical Context
The opera's subject, Queen Elizabeth I, was likely chosen to celebrate King Ferdinand IV's 'leniency' after his return to the throne and as a nod to the English forces that secured his return.
Composition History
Rossini's Elisabetta regina d'Inghilterra was his first opera for the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, a major Italian opera house.
Cultural Impact
The character of Norfolc, the villain in Elisabetta regina d'Inghilterra, may have inspired Rossini's next Neapolitan opera, Otello, due to his resemblance to Shakespeare's Iago.
Compositional Technique
Only one number in Elisabetta regina d'Inghilterra, the duet for the two tenors (No. 11), was composed from scratch; all other numbers borrow from Rossini's earlier works.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Rossini's systematic self-borrowing in Elisabetta regina d'Inghilterra was not to save time, but to refine and extend his compositional style and vocabulary.
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