The Strada Stretta Concept, under the auspices of the Valletta 2018 Foundation presents ‘Rossini and Isouard’, an evening of music with Andriana Yordanova and Julia Miller, under the artistic direction of Giuseppe Schembri Bonaci.

On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of Gioacchino Rossini’s death, the Strada Stretta Concept is presenting a Rossini-Isouard concert. Two composers, one Italian the other Maltese, who lived in different but overlapping times, competing for international recognition with Paris as the arena. Rossini was 19 years younger but outlived Isouard by 50 years. Rossini arrived in Paris to claim the throne five years after the premature end of Isouard.

One of the main issues was Isouard’s ‘Barbiere di Siviglia’ which was transformed by Rossini into his ‘Cenerentola’, based on Isouard’s libretto: A struggle between a Bonapartist Isouard still clinging to the musical philosophy of the French Opera Comique and the uprising new musical language of Rossini.

Isouard died three years before Napoleon, relinquishing his crown to a new opera language which succeeded in gleaning different styles and genres as can be witnessed in Rossini’s Otello, Tancredi, Mose, Turco in Italia, and other works.

Both confirmed that they were evolving from Mozart’s shrieking, tragic laugh.

Participants:
Andriana Yordanova | Soprano
Julia Miller | Piano
Kimberly Grech | Soprano
Christine Dalli | Mezzo Soprano
with a small female choir.

Repertoire will include arias from Rossini’s “Otello”, “L’Assedio di Corinto”, “Guglielmo Tell”, “Tancredi” and some chamber works and arias from Nicolo Isouard’s operas including “Jeanot et Colin” and “Cendrillon”.

FREE ENTRANCE

Special thanks to Jason Masini for Splendid.