
Overview
Synopsis
There are many stories on offer for the poet Prosdocimo, who is searching for a subject for a comedy he wants to write. Firstly, the gypsy Zaida offers him her story: she used to be a member of the Turkish Prince Selim’s harem, but when she and her master fell in love it became dangerous for them, so she fled to Naples, and lives as a gypsy. With an unknown Turkish Prince arriving in Naples imminently he might be able to tell them something of Selim, which could provide some interesting material for Prosdocimo’s comedy. Secondly, he could write about the forlorn Don Geronio, who looks to the gypsies for guidance in his marital problems. His wife, Donna Fiorilla, is far more interested in freedom and new romances than she is in being a faithful wife, as her secret affair with Narciso will attest.
Prosdocimo actually does not have to choose, as the arrival of the Turkish Prince entwines both stories. It turns out that the Prince is, in fact, Selim, and Zaida’s love for him is immediately reignited on seeing him. Donna Fiorilla also finds herself instantly attracted to this mysterious stranger. Will Selim reunite with Zaida, or will he accept Fiorilla’s offer to divorce her husband for him? Will Geronio let his wife leave him for this stranger? What will happen to her lover, Narciso? Prosdocimo follows the lovers through their farcical meetings, cases of mistaken identity, threats of divorce, and a complex plot to elope during a masked ball, to find out the answers and complete his writing.
Although careful handling of the racial representations is required in productions of this opera, which is very much a product of its time, nevertheless Il turco in Italia still offers an audience a fun farce, which considers many important questions about marriage and romance. All of this is set against another of Rossini’s excellent scores, promising a fun and frothy experience for all.
Show Information
- Music
- Gioachino Rossini
- Libretto
- Felice Romani
- Category
- Opera
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 1814
- Genres
- Farce, Romance, Comedy
- Settings
- Multiple Settings, Period
- Time & Place
- Naples, Napoli, 18th century
- Cast Size
- medium
- Orchestra Size
- Medium
- Dancing
- Some Dance
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- College/University, Professional Opera, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
---|---|---|---|
Lead |
Male |
Bass |
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
Lead |
Male |
Bass |
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano, Soprano |
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Contralto |
Songs
Author’s note on numbering: there are several different editions of this opera, which all have different numbers for musical movements, and different scene separations. The breakdown below is designed as a guide only, and may differ from other sources.
Overture
Act 1
Scene 1
- Introduction and Chorus ‘Nostra patria e il mondo in terro’ - Chorus, Zaida, Albazar, Prosdocimo
Scene 2
- Aria ‘Ah! Se di questi zingari ‘l’arrivo’ - Prosdocimo
Scene 3
- Cavatina ‘Vado in traccia d’una zingara’ - Geronio, Zaida, Chorus
Scene 4
- Scene ‘Brava! Intesi ogni cosa’ - Prosdocimo, Zaida, Albaza
Scene 5
Scene 6
- Scene ‘Voga, voga’ - Chorus, Fiorilla
- Duet ‘Bella Italia’ - Selim, Fiorilla
Scene 7
- Scene ‘Della Zingara amante’ - Prosdocimo, Narciso
Scene 8
- Scene ‘Amici...soccorretemi...consigliatemi…’ - Geronio, Narciso, Prosdocimo
- Trio ‘Un marito scimunito’ - Prosdocimo, Geronio, Narciso
Scene 9
- Scene ‘Ola: tosto il caffe’ - Fiorilla, Selim
- Quartet ‘Siete turchi!’ - Fiorilla, Selim, Geronio, Narciso
Scene 10
- Scene ‘Ecco qui… da soli a soli…’ - Geronio, Selim, Fiorilla
Scene 11
- Scene ‘Ciel! Che vedo!’ - Narciso, Fiorilla, Geronio, Selim
Scene 12
- Scene ‘Sono arrivato tardi’ - Prosdocimo, Geronio
Scene 13
- Scene ‘Il poeta ha ragione’ - Geronio, Fiorilla
- Duet ‘Per piacere alla Signora’ - Geronio, Fiorilla
Scene 14
- Scene ‘Ho quasi del mio dramma’ - Prosdocimo
Scene 15
- Finale I ‘Gran meraviglie’ - Zaida, Chorus
Scene 16
- ‘Per la fuga e tutto lesto’ - Selim, Prosdocimo, Zaida
Scene 17
- ‘Perche mai se son tradito’ - Narciso,
- Scene ‘Evviva l’amore, il foco vitale’ - Chorus, Fiorilla, Selim, Geronio, Narciso, Prosdocimo
- Septet ‘Ah! Che il cor non m’ingannava’ - Fiorilla, Selim, Narcis, Geronio, Prosdocimo, Albazar
Act 2
Scene 1
- Scene ‘A proposito, amico’ - Selim, Prosdocimo, Geronio
Scene 2
- Duet ‘D’un bell’uso di Turchi’ - Selim, Geronio
Scene 3
- Scene ‘Credeva che questa scene’ - Prosdocimo
Scene 4
- Aria and Chorus ‘Non v’e piacer … Se il zeffiro si posa a carezzare un fior’ - Fiorilla, Chorus
Scene 5
- Scene ‘Scusate… errai…’ - Zaida, Fiorilla
Scene 6
- Scene ‘Trovarvi sola finalmente io credea’ - Selim, Fiorilla, Zaida
Scene 7
- Scene ‘Povera Zaida!’ - Selim, Fiorilla,
- Duet ‘Credete alle femmine’ - Selim, Fiorilla
Scene 8
- Scene ‘Fermate! … Cosa c’e?’ - Prosdocimo, Geronio, Narciso
- Aria ‘Intesi; ah! Tutto intesi!... Tu seconda il mio disegno’ - Narciso
- Monologue ‘Oh sorte deplorabile’ - Geronio
Scene 9
- ‘Oh! Che fatica!’ - Prosdocimo, Albazar
Scene 10
- ‘Ah! Sarebbe troppo dolce’ - Albazar
Scene 11
- ‘Amore la danza mova’ - Chorus, Fiorilla, Narciso, Selim, Geronio, Zaida
- Quintet ‘Oh guardate che accidente!’ - Geronio, Narciso, Zaida, Selim, Fiorilla, Chorus
Scene 12
- ‘Ah! Poeta, on sai…’ - Geronio, Prosdocimo, Albazar
Scene 13
- Scene ‘Chi avria creduto a questo segno audace Narciso!’ - Fiorilla, Prosdocimo
- Aria ‘Squallida veste e bruna d’ffano’ - Fiorilla, Chorus, Prosdocimo
- Aria ‘Caro padre, madre amata’ - Fiorilla, Chorus
Scene 14
- Scene ‘Si: mi e forza partir’ - Fiorilla, Prosdocimo, Geronio
- Trio ‘Son la vite sul campo appassita’ - Fiorilla, Geronio, Prosdocimo
Final Scene
- Finale II ‘Rida a voi sereno il cielo’ - Tutti
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
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