After nearly a century of neglect, Il Turco in Italia was revived in the 20th century, allowing Maria Callas to give a spirited portrayal of the character Fiorilla.
Critical Reception
Rossini's Il Turco in Italia was not well received in Milan at its premiere, with audiences seeing it as merely the reverse of his earlier opera L'Italiana in Algeri.
Composition History
Rossini's opera, Il Turco in Italia, uses a libretto adapted by Felice Romani, who wrote around eighty libretti for La Scala, Milan.
Recording & Production
This recording of Il Turco in Italia was made at the Teatro Marrucino in Chieti, Italy, in October 2003.
Compositional Technique
Some parts of Il Turco in Italia, such as an aria for Albazar and the recitatives, were not composed by Rossini, following common practice of the time.
Compositional Technique
Rossini made considerable use of ensembles in Il Turco in Italia, inserting arias, particularly in the second act, for the benefit of the singers.
Performer Biography
Natale De Carolis, who sings Selim, is renowned as an interpreter of Rossini and Mozart roles, making his debut at Teatro alla Scala in 1987 and the Metropolitan Opera in 1988.
