Il Turco in Italia

Gioachino Rossini

Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868) was the most celebrated Italian composer of his age, a master of both opera buffa and opera seria. Born in Pesaro, he penned nearly forty operas before the age of thirty-seven, including immortal works such as “Il barbiere di Siviglia,” “La Cenerentola,” and “Guillaume Tell.” “Adina, ovvero Il Califfo di Bagdad” (1818), though lesser-known, showcases all the melodic wit, rhythmic verve, and vocal brilliance that made Rossini the darling of Europe.

Rossini’s distinctive style, characterized by elegant melodies, rapid vocal passages, lively rhythms, and inventive orchestration, had a profound influence on nineteenth-century opera. His music combines theatrical energy with remarkable technical precision, allowing singers to display both virtuosity and expressive range. Even today, his operas remain staples of the international repertoire, admired for their wit, brilliance, and enduring freshness.

After retiring from the operatic stage at the height of his fame, he spent his later years in Paris as a revered cultural figure and gourmet.

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Il turco in Italia is a comic opera in two acts by Gioachino Rossini, with a libretto by Felice Romani, first performed at La Scala in Milan in 1814. The story, set near Naples, centres on the poet Prosdocimo, who is searching for a subject for a comedy and encounters a group of gypsies, including Zaida, the former favourite of the Turkish prince Selim, who has been unjustly accused and has fled. Selim arrives in Naples and immediately falls for the flirtatious Fiorilla, wife of the shy and jealous Don Geronio; amidst flirtations, the jealousy of the knight Narciso and Zaida’s reappearance on the beach, a series of misunderstandings, amorous duets and confrontations ensue, which Prosdocimo observes with enthusiasm, seeing his comic opera come to life.

In the second act, Selim proposes to Geronio that he ‘buy’ Fiorilla according to Turkish custom, but her husband refuses; Fiorilla organises a masked ball to force Selim to choose between her and Zaida. At the masked ball, new misunderstandings arise: Narciso kidnaps Fiorilla, believing her to be destined for Selim, whilst Zaida disguises herself as Fiorilla. Prosdocimo suggests to Geronio that he feign a divorce to make his wife see reason; Fiorilla, abandoned by everyone, repents and begs for forgiveness. Selim is reconciled with Zaida and sets off for Turkey, whilst Geronio forgives Fiorilla. The opera concludes with the joy of the reunited couples and the satisfaction of the poet, who has found the perfect happy ending for his comedy.

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