L'Italiana in Algeri

Description

The premiere of L'Italiana in Algeri in Venice in 1813 was such a triumphant success that it prompted Gioacchino Rossini, then 21 years old, to utter one of his typical witticisms: "I thought the Venetians would think I was mad after hearing my opera. Now it turns out they are even madder than I am." The work seems cast in a single mold and, according to the writer Stendhal, makes one "forget all the misery of the world." With this work, Rossini finally conquered the world stage as the undisputed master of the comic opera of his time. The style of this opera is an ingenious perfection of 18th-century traditions and a source of inspiration for later developments of this genre during the 19th century.Although Jakob Lehmann approaches the work from the perspective of historically informed performance practice, the Eroica Berlin Orchestra is not an ensemble that resolutely plays on historical instruments, but rather chooses a kind of middle path. Lehmann follows the critical edition and plays it in its entirety. Following the custom of the time, he accompanies the recitatives not only with a keyboard instrument, but with a trio of cello, double bass, and pianoforte. According to him, any truly historically "informed" interpretation of a musical work must follow the original text, but also read between the lines and sometimes go beyond it. The result is like a rejuvenation treatment for this popular work: it smells of historical theater, but never sounds dusty; it follows historical traditions, but without becoming dogmatic. But above all, it offers the best of entertainment without falling into the superficial. What more could one want?