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A Difficult Cocktail
Rossini's 'Moïse et Pharaon',
assessed by GIUSEPPE PENNISI
Moïse et Pharaon by Gioacchino Rossini inaugurated the 2010-2011 'season' of the Teatro dell'Opera of Rome on 3 December 2010. The inauguration was preceded on 30 November by a special charity performance in the presence of the Head of State, with a parterre des rois -- authorities and prominent personalities from politics, industry, finance as well as from Rome's (no longer very large) surviving aristocracy. I went to the 3 December performance -- a première (opening night) subscription series; again, dinner jackets almost a requirement for the gentlemen and, likewise, long dresses for the ladies. Bouquets of flowers in the six rows of boxes and (Italian) champagne in the foyer before the long performance; 210 minutes of music, eg including entreacts lasting from 7pm until nearly midnight -- made both 30 November and 3 December very special, and very long, nights). On 3 December, a selected crowd also had drinks and hors-d'œuvres during the intermissions and dinner after the performance -- hence the evening was extended nearly until dawn...
Copyright © 5 December 2010
Giuseppe Pennisi,
Rome, Italy
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