Rossini is readily accepted as the ‘inventor’ or creator of the Italian opera buffa or comic style. Even though he was as successful in his day in the opera seria or tragic operatic style, audiences today are much more comfortable with the musical language of Barbiere, L’Italiana and Cenerentola than they are with Tancredi, Semiramide or Guillaume Tell. One simple reason for that is the fact that elements of Rossini’s comic style ‘bled over’ into the standard Italian operatic style of the late 19th century. Even in the more serious operas of mid- to late-period Verdi and all of the Puccini operas, we hear melodies, orchestral techniques and musical ‘architecture’ that descended directly from the work of Rossini.
What are those elements of Rossini’s comic style? Let’s start with the orchestra. Overall, the tonal quality or color one hears in Barber can be described as bright, even brilliant. One can account for this by noticing Rossini’s favoring of the higher wind instruments of the orchestra. There are characteristic wind solos in all of the comedies that comment on the dramatic action, sometimes underlining their farcical nature. Brilliance is also added through the use of infectious rhythmic ideas, rhythmic ‘motifs’ or ‘cells’ that the composer will use to unify an aria, duet or other ensemble. These are most often given over to the violin section in the orchestra: they are short, highly energetic and immediately grab the attention of the listener. These ebullient ideas lend a sense of fun to the proceedings that is irresistible.
A more obvious element of the Rossini style is the characteristic crescendo which begins with a quietly stated rhythmic motif that is repeated over and over with the addition of instruments, voices and increased dynamics every couple of bars. This creates a sense of growing agitation and tension until it explodes in a blazing climax of instruments and soloists, all vying for simultaneous attention. This effect, so identified with Rossini, is used most successfully in the comedies’ first act finales where, typically, confusion reigns and the characters all run offstage to figure out how to solve their various dilemmas…hence a reason for all of us to return to our seats for a second act!
In terms of melodic style, Rossini learned much from Neapolitan folk music, its typical contours and characteristic ornaments. Tunes feature short phrases with repetitive rhythmic ideas that give unity to the line. Added to that, however, is the composer’s penchant for coloratura and fioriture, passages of sometimes extreme ornamentation that carry the emotional content of the text (and demand great virtuosity from the singer). In Rosina’s aria, “Una voce poco fa” the florid vocal line is meant to communicate her independence and forceful personality. In Almaviva’s “Ecco ridente in cielo”, similar passages denote the character’s joyful expectations of love.
Rossini composed for specific singers, tailoring his musical ideas to fit the color, texture and individual abilities of these artists. But a pattern emerges: tenor roles lie high and are more suited to lighter voices; comic heroines are often written as contralto or mezzo-soprano roles, the color of the voice lending a certain musical ‘truth’ to these characters’ strength and resourcefulness. Basses are given the more overtly comic roles or portray older characters that are often the brunt of the opera’s ‘joke’. These ‘doctors’, ‘guardians’ and ‘clerks’, obvious descendents of the stock characters of the commedia dell’arte tradition, are assigned patter songs which emphasize the more ridiculous nature of their characters’ positions in the operas.
In sum, all of Rossini’s compositional choices are at the service of the drama, and in Barber the choices are perfect!