- Genre
- Music
- Year
- 2017
- Runtime
0
Rossini: La Gazza Ladra - Teatro alla Scala
Vibrant Rossini comedy in Milan’s grandest opera house!
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Synopsis
Rossini’s La gazza ladra (The Thieving Magpie) at Teatro alla Scala is a joyous and fast-paced opera buffa that unfolds in a small Italian town. Central to the story is Ninetta, a virtuous young peasant girl whose life is turned upside down when a silver spoon disappears and she is falsely accused of theft. As the case builds against her, the real culprit—a magpie—continues to pilfer small valuables, while Ninetta’s aging mother and devoted fiancé Giannetto struggle to prove her innocence. Under Riccardo Chailly’s spirited baton and directed with modern flair by Damiano Michieletto, this 2017 La Scala production showcases vibrant orchestral flourishes, Rossini’s trademark crescendos and memorable arias. Rosa Feola’s luminous soprano brings warmth to Ninetta’s courage and vulnerability, supported by a lively chorus and richly colored orchestral palette. With its blend of social satire, comic misunderstandings and Rossini’s exhilarating score, this staging captures both the opera’s dramatic ironies and its uplifting, ultimately redemptive humor.
Cast
Reviews
Critics have largely praised the 2017 La Scala staging of La gazza ladra, though a few voiced reservations about the production’s dramatic balance. Opera News awarded the Blu-ray release 4 out of 5 stars, celebrating Rosa Feola’s “radiant, assured performance” as Ninetta and lauding Chailly for “wringing abundant vivacity from the orchestra.” The review highlights Feola’s crystalline coloratura and notes that “every crescendo lands with exhilarating precision.”
Gramophone named this recording an Editor’s Choice, calling it “one of the most vivid and exhilarating Rossini interpretations on record.” The magazine singled out the overture as “a bolt of lightning” and praised the chorus for its “brilliantly disciplined ensemble work.” Similarly, BBC Music Magazine rated the production 4/5 stars, praising the “clean, characterful singing” and describing Chailly’s tempi as “relentlessly engaging,” though it remarked that a handful of recitatives felt “slightly truncated.”
On the digital front, Bachtrack’s review awarded the live performance 4.5/5, noting that Michieletto’s staging “cleverly underscores the opera’s social satire” with its mobile, minimalist sets—but pointed out that “at times the décor feels underpopulated, leaving dramatic moments a touch undernourished.” The Guardian offered a 3/5-star critique, commending the singers’ comic timing and the orchestra’s bright tone, while suggesting that “the stark visual concept occasionally struggles to fill the cavernous stage.”
Overall, viewers will find Rossini’s sparkling score and Feola’s magnetic vocalism to be the high points of this La Scala production, even if some may wish for a bit more theatrical depth in certain scenes.
