The genre of 'farsa', to which 'La scala di seta' belongs, typically lasted about 90 minutes and featured a structure of three large blocks: an introduction, a central ensemble, and a finale, with smaller numbers in between.
Critical Reception
Rossini himself was delighted with the overture to 'La scala di seta', noting 'Accidenti' ('Wow') in the autograph score, and the premiere received 'tumultuous applause' from start to finish.
Recording & Production
This recording of 'La scala di seta' was made in July 2021 at Offene Halle Marienruhe, Bad Wildbad, Germany, with Stefan Gawlick as producer and Andreas Nowak as engineer.
Composition History
Rossini, at only 20 years old, composed this one-act opera, 'La scala di seta', as the first of three he was contracted to write for impresario Antonio Cera in Venice.
Composition History
The libretto for 'La scala di seta' is based on Eugène Planard's 'L'Échelle de soie', which itself shared a common source with Cimarosa's 'Il matrimonio segreto' and an English comedy by George Coleman and David Garrick.
Compositional Technique
Rossini's operas, including 'La scala di seta', are characterized by a single focus, avoiding side-tracks with details of secondary importance.
Composition History
The libretto for 'La scala di seta' by Giuseppe Maria Foppa was a rush job, tailored to the available singers after Rossini initially deemed the original libretto unsuitable.
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