During the Renaissance period a poem written by Torquato Tasso entitled Gerusalemme Liberata (The Liberation of Jerusalem) was very popular and inspired many composers including Haydn, Gluck and Handel to orchestrate their operas according to the text. Armida, the name of the opera, was devised differently by Rossini compared to his other cohorts. According to David J. Baker, the author of the essay Magic Time, theorized that Rossini wrote his music to cater and focus on the talents of Isabella Colbran. Italy was heading toward realism during the nineteenth century and the script involved in Armida was contradictory toward this style. This type of writing was unconventional to Rossini’s previous 37 works and included collaboration with a librettist by the name of Giovanni Schmidt whom was not recognized in history as being an ideal candidate to work with. Rossini manages to not only showcase Ms. Colbrans talents but transform the theme of a battle between good and evil to that of a love story. David compares Rossini‘s opera to other composers who wrote music for this work, to illustrate and offer proof of his theory.
Rossini’s Armida was first introduced to the public in November 1817 and was showcased at the Teatro San Carlo of Naples . The stories synopsis begins with Rinauldo the Christian crusader, and his army mourning the loss of their leader in battle. The men are confronted by Armida, a pagan sorceress, who plans to overtake and control their army with the assistance of her Uncle Iradot, who is the King of Damascus. Rinauldo is overtaken by Armida’s beauty and becomes powerless to her seduction. He leaves his honor with the crusaders and joins her blindly in a “garden” of enchantment, where he loses his true sense of self. Armida unwillingly falls for Rinauldo and vows vengeance when he realizes the person he has become through his reflection and rejoins the crusaders.
Mr. Baker points out certain clues that support his theory about Rossini’s affinity to Colburn. For starters, Isabella and Rossini were married five years after the premier of Armida. David mentions that there are reports that record their romance occurring during this time period, but he does not substantiate this information in his essay. Secondly, the autographed score of Rossini bears an inscription of the name Isabella in the margin beside the conclusion of the “Primo Finale” in Act I. Pesaro editors believe that this was done by Mrs. Colbran. They theorize she may have been sitting across from the piano as he composed, because the inscription is written upside down. Rossini had already written a work exclusively for her entitled Elisabetta two years earlier while she was still the mistress to the director of the Teatro San Carlo region, tycoon Domenico Barnaia. David points out that the music that is written for Colbran appears to happen at a time when Rossini is highly motivated. Composers such as Lully and Gluck spend little emphasis on the love between Rinauldo and Armida with their version occurring briefly at the end. Rossini’s male characters all sing with tenor voices including Armida’s love Rinauldo. What sets him apart from the others is accomplished by the transformations in his idyll. Armida’s character is the only female. Her role is accentuated by Rossini’s choice of coloratura in her role including her ability in vocal range and seductive qualities. This contrast adds more focal point to that of the female characters role. Additionally Rossini includes a theme and variations, D’ Amore al dolce impero, which increases the length of the opera. According to Rossini Foundation editors, his choice of introducing the powerful love duet in Act I, lays the foundation for orchestrating a musical work more based on love rather than mystical themes. He also adds that this type of strategy allows for Isabel’s presence throughout the entire opera.
David’s arguments are compelling, but the sources for his material are not substantiated by actual facts, only theories. References that include the title of the music would be ideal, such as the mention of the love duet that occurs in Act I.
David’s essay and his philosophy on Rossini’s personal feelings toward his lead character Isabel Colburn in the opera Armida are very compelling. The idea that he orchestrated his entire opera to accentuate and focus her talents alone displays that he had to have a considerable amount of feelings toward her, or at least admired her talents. He also adds a theme and variation to the work that is not evident in any of the previous operas that were written by prior composers of this piece. Rossini tackles a theme that is uncharacteristic to any of his previous works and follows a style that is more characteristic of a how the French composed their operas. Even though the relationship between the two of them eventually blossoms five years after the premiere of Armida I would have liked to see more evidence to base his theory.