Rossini
often focused his opera composition on the voice. He believed the voice to be
more important than the opera’s plot, the staging, orchestration, etc. He
required a style of singing we call “bel canto” (beautiful singing). Singers
were expected to use their entire range with ease, singing in a beautiful,
soaring, and effortless manner.
You
may notice when you hear Rossini on WGUC that many of his pieces sound fun and
tuneful. He also often tended to enjoy repeating musical phrases, making it
louder each time to add to audiences’ excitement. This became known as the
“Rossini crescendo.” Rossini also furthered the plot by adding plot twists or
changes in mood within arias or duets.
Here
is an excerpt from one of Rossini’s famous operas, The Barber of Seville
Notice
how Rosina’s singing style changes throughout the scene. In your opinion, how
does this compare to other operas we’ve looked at thus far?
