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Over 40 years ago, music enthusiasts in Pesaro devised a plan to unearth Rossini’s forgotten operas, revise them in new critical editions, and showcase them to the public through grand productions. This initiative gave birth to the Rossini Opera Festival, an annual event in the Italian city. It has now achieved a significant milestone: the revival of Rossini’s last opera, Eduardo e Cristina, by Pesaro’s musicologists. This year’s festival kicked off with the first modern staging of this work.
However, the Rossini renaissance is still incomplete, as only a few of the composer’s operas are widely known. The Rossini Opera Festival, signaling its intent to continue its efforts, appointed Juan Diego Flórez, the acclaimed Peruvian bel canto tenor who rose to fame through a Pesaro production in the 1990s, as the artistic director until 2026. Flórez has maintained high musical standards, with this year’s production of Adelaide di Borgogna showcasing the most esteemed cast.
Set in 10th-century Italy, the opera revolves around Adelaide, the widow of Lothair II of Italy, who is pursued by Ottone, the German emperor, and Adelberto, a nobleman. Rossini infuses the recitatives with rare glimpses of his genius, explaining the limited number of productions since its premiere in Rome in 1817. Unfortunately, Arnaud Bernard’s unimaginative and self-referential staging, using a play-within-a-play concept to portray the characters rehearsing Adelaide di Borgogna for a performance at the festival, fails to elevate the work.
Despite the meta-opera elements, the overall production feels old-fashioned, featuring characters donning codpieces and courtly gowns, soldier choruses with tin helmets, and painted backdrops depicting church interiors and scenic landscapes. Bernard adds a subplot involving the aspiring opera stars, with Adelaide portrayed as a diva wielding a smartphone, throwing tantrums during her makeup sessions. Adelberto, a lackluster tenor who forgets his lines and misses cues, adds to the frustration of the on-stage director (a silent role added for the production).
In a supposed nod towards LGBTQ+ rights, the final wedding scene features Ottone, a trouser role sung by a mezzo-soprano, stepping out of character. Untying her long hair, she proposes to a delighted Adelaide while a rueful Adelberto looks on. Bernard’s seemingly arbitrary modifications make it challenging to fully embrace the opera’s most poignant moments.
Fortunately, the singing in the opening performance was exceptional. Olga Peretyatko
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