Vincenzo Taormina

Ludovico is an arrogant boy who grew up in the comforts and vices among money, parties, and excesses: he has known every wealth except that of the soul. Filippo is a young man who faces all suffering, poverty, and abuse in order to grow up. the former has the urge to possess a phony independence, the other feels the need to fail to respect his own body and values in order to survive. their encounter will mark the rest of their existence.

Il Turco in Italia is one of Rossini‘s wittiest but most neglected works. It is full of ingenious and freshly composed invention. It is Rossini‘s first collaboration with Felice Romani - Bellini‘s librettist - on this opera and Romani understood perfectly Rossini‘s love of pastiche and parody. He provided a commedia dell‘ arte scenario that gave Rossini plenty of opportunity to mock traditions he had helped to cultivate in the first place. The plot is delightfully salcious and among the many jewels in the score, the duet for Geronio and Selim, in which the Turk tries to persuade the ageing husband to sell his wife to him, is widely considered one of the composer‘s masterpieces.

The story is by the dramatist Carlo Gozzi and dates from 1762, telling of the Chinese princess Turandot, who sets her suitors three riddles in order to marry her. Only the suitor who solves the riddle may ask for her hand in marriage, otherwise death awaits.

A Musical fairy tale in three acts (1922)/Revised 1934. Performed by Orchestra E Coro Del Teatro Lirico di Cagliari. Originally commissioned by the renowned puppeteer Vittorio Podrecca, The Sleeping Beauty has been revised for live performance