Maometto secondo

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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Maometto II is a musical drama in two acts by Gioachino Rossini, with a libretto by Cesare della Valle, first performed in Naples in 1820. The story centres on Anna Erisso, daughter of the Venetian governor of Negroponte, torn between her love for the young general Calbo and the threat posed by Sultan Maometto II, who is laying siege to the city. Anna had met Maometto in Athens, disguised as a man, and the sultan had fallen in love with her without knowing her true identity. When Maometto recognises her as the mysterious figure from his past, he offers to save Negroponte in exchange for her hand in marriage. Anna, loyal to her country and to Calbo, scornfully refuses and secretly marries her beloved just as the city walls are about to fall.

In the second act, the tragedy unfolds: Mehmed bursts into the temple where the women have taken refuge and renews his proposal to Anna, promising her the throne. Anna pretends to accept in order to gain time, but by now the city’s fate is sealed. Standing before her mother’s grave, she proudly reveals that she is already Calbo’s wife and, to escape the victor’s violence, stabs herself with a dagger. As Anna dies in the arms of her companions, Mohammed is utterly overwhelmed by the strength of a woman who chose death over slavery, and the drama concludes amidst general dismay at the sublime act that has defeated the conqueror’s power.

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