Rossini in Wildbad - The Thieving Magpie (Milan 1817 / Naples 1819 and 1820)

Immediately after La Cenerentola, Rossini wrote this opera. It belongs to the peculiar genre of semiseria, where the tone in La Gazza Ladra is at times extremely dark, and the happy ending arrives abruptly, making it very effective. The unfortunate Ninetta is quickly sentenced to death for the supposed theft of a spoon (!). This is not mere operatic kitsch, but reflects the legal reality of the time in which the story is set. For a destitute housemaid and her father, who had to serve in the military, even small mistakes could be fatal, and it seems until the very last scene that a remaining family is abruptly wiped out, against which even the well-meaning are powerless. The shocking barbarity of the "law," which is abused by the Podestà as an official for sexual harassment, clearly highlights the plot. Rossini composed all the music for this opera anew. The overture, famous for its drum rolls, is well-known. We are performing the largely unknown Neapolitan version with three alternative arias. The new production directed by festival director Jochen Schönleber is conducted by José Miguel Pérez-Sierra.