The Complete La Gazzetta, a Comic Opera by Rossini

Almost by chance, a major quintet was rediscovered in Palermo that falls in the middle of Act I of La gazzetta. Rossini probably cut it before the first performance of the opera, but the quintet is needed to complete the action. Stage directors have wanted to know about it since Dario Fo had the cast declaim the text in rhythm, but without music. Rossini borrowed the piece, in part, from two operas, La scala di seta and Il barbiere di Siviglia, but he developed it very differently from both of those operas. This presentation will talk a bit about some of those differences, particularly with regard to Barbiere.