The Italian Girl in AlgiersPerformance Dates and Ticket InformationPerformance Dates: Saturday, October 2, 2010 at 7:30 p.m., Friday, October 8, 2010 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, October 10, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets range from $10-75. Student, group and senior discounts are available. Regular tickets for The Italian Girl in Algiers are on sale now by calling 243-0591 or at Ticketmaster by clicking here (you will be redirected to the Ticketmaster website).
The Story of L'Italiana in AlgeriACT I: At a seaside palace in Algiers, Elvira, wife of Mustafa, the Bey, grieves that her husband no longer loves her. While her attendants advise her to accept this common lot of women, Mustafa enters in a temper. He sends Elvira away when she complains, and declares that he has tired of his wife. He wants an Italian woman, and gives his captain, Haly, six days in which to produce one. In another part of the palace, Lindoro, an Italian recently enslaved by Mustafa's corsairs, longs for his distant love, Isabella, whom he lost when pirates captured him. Mustafa informs Lindoro that he must marry Elvira so that Mustafa can be rid of her; Lindoro describes the woman he wants to marry, and Mustafa assures him that Elvira is a perfect fit. Offshore a ship has been wrecked and its passengers taken prisoner. Among them Haly and his men discover an Italian woman, Isabella, and her aging companion and would-be suitor, Thaddeo. Isabella has been searching for her lost fiance, Lindoro, and laments her cruel destiny. Though in danger, Isabella is confident in her skills to conquer the Algerians through womanly wiles. The pirates seize Thaddeo and attempt to sell him into slavery, but he claims to be Isabella's uncle and cannot leave her. Isabella and Thaddeo argue about their relationship, but they agree to pose as uncle and niece and face their predicament together. Back at the palace, Mustafa offers to allow Lindoro to leave immediately for Italy under the condition that he take Elvira. Seeing his opportunity to escape, Lindoro accepts, making it clear that he may not marry Elvira until after they reach Italy. Elvira objects as she loves her husband and sees no advantage in aiding Lindoro's escape. Haly brings news of the Italian woman, and Mustafa orders his court to assemble. Mustafa is hailed by the eunuchs. Isabella is brought in, and Mustafa marvels at her beauty. Isabella flirts with the Bey and feels certain that she will be able to deal with him. When Thaddeo forces his way into the hall, Mustafa threatens to impale him, but then accepts Isabella's "uncle". Elvira and Lindoro come to say farewell as they are about to leave for Italy, and Lindoro and Isabella are shocked to recognize each other. To prevent Lindoro's departure, Isabella insists that Mustafa cannot banish his wife and requests that Lindoro stay as her own personal servant. Everyone's head reels as Mustafa's plans are derailed and the happy but confused lovers reuinite. ACT II: Mustafa has fallen in love with Isabella. While Haly counsels Elvira to be patient, other members of the court discuss how easily the Italian woman has cowed Mustafa, giving Elvira hope of regaining his love. However, Mustafa enters to declare that he plans to visit Isabella in her room for coffee. Isabella comes out of her room, upset that Lindoro agreed to leave with Elvira. Lindoro assures her of his loyalty and rejoices at being reunited with his love, and Isabella and Lindoro plan their escape. In order to impress Isabella, Mustafa forces Thaddeo to act as his Kaimakan, or personal bodyguard, and has him dressed in Turkish costume. Despite his objection to act as a go-between and initial decline of the title, Thaddeo accepts the compulsory honor on seeing Mustafa's anger. Isabella prepares to receive Mustafa, and orders Lindoro to bring coffee for at least three. She tells Elvira to observe from another room and she will show her how to handle a man. Mustafa, Thaddeo and Lindoro watch from within as Isabella, completing her dressing, invokes Venus to make her more lovely. Mustafa arranges to signal by sneezing the moment that the others should leave him alone with Isabella, but the signals are ignored. Isabella invites Elvira to join them for coffee, and Mustafa understands that he has been tricked, and bursts out in annoyance. In another part of the palace Haly declares that Italian women excel at making men love them, and believes his master is no match for Isabella. Thaddeo tells Lindoro that he is Isabella's true love, which amuses Lindoro, but he realizes he needs Thaddeo's help in dealing with Mustafa, who enters, still furious. Lindoro tells Mustafa that Isabella loves the Bey and wants to make him her "Pappataci", an honorable title given to men who sleep and eat while allowing their women to do just as they please. In her apartment Isabella has arranged a ceremony involving the other Italian captives and has provided the eunuchs and guards with much wine. She encourages the Italians with patriotic passion, and tells her countrymen to be confident. Mustafa arrives and Lindoro reminds him of the initiation. Dressed in wig and costume, Isabella confers the oath in which Mustafa swears to be deaf and blind to all her enterprises. After he is pronounced a Pappataci, food is presented and Mustafa eats and drinks as the Italians slip away to the waiting ship. Upon realizing that Isabella loves Lindoro and that he too is being tricked, Thaddeo tries to alert Mustafa, who persists in keeping his vow of paying no attention. Rather than face Mustafa's wrath, Thaddeo joins the Italians. Elvira, Haly and Zulma reveal the deceit to Mustafa, and his lesson learned, Mustafa begs Elvira's forgiveness and renounces Italian women. As the Italians bid farewell, everyone sings the praises of the resourceful Italian woman.
About the Composer
Gioachino Rossini (February 29, 1792 - November 13, 1868) was an Italian composer whose theatrical works dominated the repertoire for three decades, from the 1810s to the 1830s. He wrote 39 operas in addition to sacred music, chamber music, and instrumental and piano pieces. His best known operatic works include Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), La gazza ladra (The Thieving Magpie) and La Cenerentola, which Opera Southwest performed last season. Both of Rossini's parents were professional musicians. Upon entering the Bologna Conservatory in 1806, Rossini had learned to play the piano and cello, performed as a singer, and composed chamber works, overtures, and sacred music. Early commissions for operas came through the offices of performers who were family friends and familiar with the boy's talents. Nicknamed "The Italian Mozart", Rossini had written ten operas for northern Italian theaters by the age of 21. L'Italiana in Algeri was composed when Rossini was 21, and the opera had an explosive effect. Rossini brought to his work a structural clarity that transformed Italian opera; his characteristic forms, which gradually evolved over a period of ten years, were later developed into a system of formal rules as basic for 19th-century Italian composers. Until his retirement in 1829, Rossini had been the most popular opera composer in history. Rossini's reputation for more than a century, that of a composer of comic opera, has changed considerably in recent decades. The Rossini Opera Festival of Pasaro has provided models for intelligent stagings of his works, and major theaters around the world have incorporated the operas into their repertoires. Thus, the depth and breadth of Rossini's extraordinary career can be experienced anew by modern audiences.
The CastIsabella, the Italian Girl ~ Eve Gigliotti Lindoro, young Italian, favorite slave of Mustafa ~ Scott Ramsay Taddeo, companion of Isabella ~ Matthew Burns Mustafa, the Bey of Algiers ~ Ashraf Sewailam Elvira, his wife ~ Heather Phillips Zulma, slave, confidante of Elvira ~ Alissa Anderson Haly, Captain of the Algerian Corsairs ~ Frederick Jackson
Conductor ~ Anthony Barrese Stage Director ~ Candace Evans
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