Gioachino Rossini

Aureliano in Palmira is an opera in two acts by Gioachino Rossini to an Italian libretto by Felice Romani. The opera premiered at La Scala in Milan in 1813. Set in Palmyra, Syria, during the Roman Empire, the story revolves around the conflict between the Roman Emperor Aureliano and the Palmyran Queen Zenobia. The opera is noted for its beautiful melodies and complex vocal writing, typical of Rossini's early style. While not among Rossini's most frequently performed operas, Aureliano in Palmira offers valuable insights into the composer's development and the conventions of early 19th-century Italian opera. This edition presents the original libretto in Italian, allowing readers to fully appreciate Romani's contribution to this historical work. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Ristampa immutata dell'edizione originale del 1839.

This sinfonia (or overture) was the last thing composed for the Rossini's opera La Gazza ladra (known in English as The Thieving Magpie). Rossini, famous for being able to compose very quickly, was quoted in a 19th century biography about the conductor (Alessandro Rolla) ordering him locked in an upper room of Milan's Teatro alla Scala the day before the premiere under guard from four stagehands in order to complete the overture. As Rossini completed a page of score it was handed to one of his 'guards' who then tossed it out the window to a copyist below. The overture is famous for its use of snare drum to invoke the antics of the diabolically clever thieving bird. The opera premiere was given in Milan on May 31, 1817. As with the other overtures, this one has not been treated very well by publishers over the decades. Part of the problem stems from the composer's own manuscripts which were the product of rapid composing under pressure. In addition, the opera itself was very popular and thus revised several times over the following decades by the composer for various performances in Europe. Many things which were simply assumed by performers of the era from their first appearance and applied to analogous passages weren't by those of later eras. This new performing edition prepared by Clark McAlister was previously issued in by defunct publisher E.F. Kalmus in 2006. Serenissima is now pleased to offer not only the present study score, but the large score and orchestral parts.