Gioachino Rossini was born in Pesaro, Italy, on February 29, 1792, and died in Passy, France, on November 13, 1868. The first performance of the opera L’italiana in Algeri took place at the Teatro San Benedetto in Venice, Italy, on May 22, 1813. The Overture to L’italiana in Algeri is scored for flute, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, timpani, and strings. Approximate performance time is nine minutes.

In 1813, Gioachino Rossini rose to prominence with the brilliant success of two contrasting operas, both composed for Venetian theaters. The first, Tancredi, based on Voltaire’s tragedy, premiered at the historic Teatro La Fenice on February 6. A few months later, the impresario of the Teatro San Benedetto pressed Rossini into service when a scheduled work by another composer failed to materialize. With time being of the essence, Rossini utilized a completed libretto by Angelo Anelli that had already been set to music by Luigi Mosca.

Rossini composed his version of L’italiana in Algeri (The Italian Girl in Algiers) with customary speed (estimates range from 18 to 27 days). The audience attending the May 22 premiere was entranced by Rossini’s irresistible score, and the story of Isabella, an independent young Italian woman who tames Mustafà, the fearsome Bey of Algiers. One critic reported that the public responded with “deafening, continuous general applause.” In fact, the San Benedetto audience demanded and received encores of almost every number. Rossini, who modestly described L’italiana as “my pastime,” took the opera’s tumultuous reception in stride. After being repeatedly summoned to the stage, Rossini commented: “Now I am happy. The Venetians are madder than I am.”

The sparkling orchestral Overture to The Italian Girl in Algiers sets the stage for the comic intrigue soon to follow.

Program notes by Ken Meltzer