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- Rossini, Gioachino
Duration: 80 minutes
Description: LA CAMBIALE DI MATRIMONIO (THE BILL OF MARRIAGE or THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT) by Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868) premiered on November 3, 1810, at the Teatro San Moisè in Venice, marking the composer’s first staged opera and an early display of the wit and rhythmic brilliance that would define his career. A one-act farsa, the opera centers on an arranged-marriage contract engineered by the pompous merchant Tobia Mill, who intends to marry his daughter Fanny to a wealthy Canadian businessman; complications ensue when Fanny, already in love with the young clerk Edoardo, conspires with him to overturn her father’s plans. Filled with quick ensembles, sparkling patter, and youthful charm, the work foreshadows Rossini’s later masterpieces while standing today as a delightful early example of his comic style. Although not performed as frequently as his major buffa operas, LA CAMBIALE DI MATRIMONIO remains a favorite among conservatories, festivals, and companies exploring Rossini’s early output, valued for its compact form, lively humor, and historical significance as the theatrical debut of one of opera’s great composers. Instrumentation: 1.2.2.1: 2.0.0.0: Str (4.4.3.3.3 in set): Vocal soli (6 roles, SMzSTBarBarB). Reprint edition.