Lithography the composer G.Rossini by C.ConstansTeatro Alla Scala
The history of Rossini performances at La Scala, from the few comic operas who never went out of repertoire to the new popularity due to Abbado and Ponnelle until the most recent critical editions, also engaged set and costume designers who were requested to find the balance between eighteenth-century elegance, fantastic abstractness and farcical implications.
The costumes presented here have been restored by Amici della Scala.
L'Italiana in Algeri by CarambaTeatro Alla Scala
L’italiana in Algeri, 1933, Caramba
L’italiana in Algeri is alongside Il barbiere di Siviglia and Cenerentola the most frequently performed of Rossini's comic operas. Stendhal summarized the work in the famous definition "an organized and complete madness". The irresistible comic force of the score has often led set designers and costume designers to propose grotesque deformations.
In 1933, Caramba designed a dress of essential elegance for Bruna Castagna in the part of Isabella in Mario Frigerio’s production. If the costumes of the choir and the extras were sketched with pictorial technique to fit into the overall set design, Caramba highlights the protagonists by choosing precious materials for them.
In this case Isabella wears a black and white evening dress in silk devoré velvet edged with a Greek swastika and decorated with glass stones. The original costume included a printed shawl now lost but visible in some photographs.
L'italiana In AlgeriTeatro Alla Scala
L’italiana in Algeri 1952-53, Franco Zeffirelli
In 1953 Carlo Maria Giulini conducted a historical edition of L’italiana in Algeri at La Scala, with Giulietta Simionato, tenor Cesare Valetti and bass Mario Petri, who after his career as a singer would become the protagonist of mythological and adventure films.
Italiana in Algeri costume by ZeffirelliTeatro Alla Scala
The direction was by Corrado Pavolini, but Franco Zeffirelli, then in his thirties, who had designed the sets and costumes, took over during rehearsals.
In front of the minarets drawn in the background Zeffirelli creates characters with funny and colorful costumes with puff pants and giant turbans.
Isabella wears a large red and black dress with gloves and a feathered hat.
La CenerentolaTeatro Alla Scala
Cenerentola 1972-73, Ponnelle
At La Scala the so-called Rossini-Renaissance begins with the production of his three most famous comic operas conducted by Claudio Abbado in the direction of Jean-Pierre Ponnelle.
The first is Il barbiere di Siviglia, which was staged in 1969 starring Teresa Berganza in the production already seen in Salzburg. In April 1973 Lucia Valentini starred in Cenerentola in the production presented by Ponnelle in Florence two years earlier and finally on December 7, 1973 L'italiana in Algeri with Teresa Berganza is the first opera buffa to inaugurate the season at La Scala.
Il Barbiere Di SivigliaTeatro Alla Scala
In these representations Abbado, as Philip Gossett recounts about the Barbiere, "not only used the critical edition but adhered to the text with the most fanatical rigor. There were no significant cuts and few ornaments were made. The musical performance highlighted every nuance of Rossini's palette".
Cenerentola costume by PonnelleTeatro Alla Scala
Ponnelle's direction was a choreography in which every gesture was drawn on the music. In the banquet that concludes the first act Cinderella appears in such sumptuous dress that no one recognizes her.
Ponnelle dresses her in a rich black and silver dress completely reinventing the style of 18th century.
The measurements are systematically exaggerated, starting with the enormous width of the skirt.
The decorations are made of metallic powder and glue according to a procedure often used by Ponnelle.
The dress is completed by black satin gloves, silver bracelets and a rich feathered hairstyle.
Teatro alla Scala
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