The life, the man, the works, the greatness but also the relevance of Gioachino Rossini, the genius from Pesaro, told in two Acts and an Intermezzo, like an opera!
“He was a genius on the run. / From his time, from mediocrity, / from revolution, / from the music of the future, / from his land, from the obvious, / from pedants, from modernity. / And of course, like everyone, / from himself.” The portrait in verses by Alessandro Baricco presents Rossini inviting us to cross the threshold of the museum and discover his world.
The cradle of Gioachino (born February 29, 1792) and since 2017 a UNESCO Creative City of Music, Pesaro has dedicated to the genius the first and only Rossini National Museum which was inaugurated in 2019, as part of the “Rossini 150” celebrations, at Palazzo Montani Antaldi, not far from the Rossini Theatre. A major project wanted by the Municipality of Pesaro, realized in partnership with the Cassa di Risparmio Foundation – owner of the palace – and thanks to the support of Mibact and the Marche Region.
Musical metaphor of his intense life, the fascinating journey through ten rooms follows the biographical stages of the composer and his boundless operatic and musical production, each time set in the historical context, among places and characters: the origins, family and loves, masters, impresarios, and again, singers, politicians, rulers. The museum narrates a long artistic and sentimental journey, unique in its kind. An epic that traverses the cultural movements of Europe between the 18th and 19th centuries and perpetuates in the present.
The Overture is the Hall of Mirrors, featuring the prized Playel piano that belonged to the maestro, restored and available to be played as soon as meetings, conferences, and concerts can resume.
The I Act begins, witnessing the birth and early years of Rossini, his rise, and travels in Italy: childhood and education, the first steps in Pesaro, the move with his family to Bologna, up to his debut in Venice with “La cambiale di matrimonio.” After the first successes, the Neapolitan stay (1815-1822), as musical director of the Teatro San Carlo, and during the same period the licenses from Naples recounting his brief return to Pesaro and the debuts in Rome and Milan. In 1822 he marries for the first time the soprano and composer Isabella Colbran, already the lover of the theatrical impresario Domenico Barbaja, and for her, Rossini will write the most important parts of his Neapolitan works.
Next is an Intermezzo, where you can pause and comfortably admire the video projections of famous editions of the Rossini Opera Festival that document memorable works such as “The Barber of Seville,” “Cinderella,” and “The Thieving Magpie.” By the age of 30, Rossini had already composed around thirty operas and was already famous throughout Europe.
Then comes the II Act, recounting his maturity: travels between Vienna and London (1822-1824), the first stay in Paris (1825-1830) with the role of director of the Théâtre-Italien and the production of theatrical works. He meets Olympe Pelissier, a model and cultured French courtesan, who becomes his second wife in 1846, after Isabella’s death. He returns to Italy between Bologna and Florence but from 1855 he goes back and stays in France creating music until his death, which occurred on November 13, 1868, in his villa in Passy, a Parisian neighborhood.
In a suggestive neoclassical setting, the narrative unfolds room by room, each with differently colored walls and ceilings painted with mythological themes, beautifully preserved, where paintings, busts, memorabilia, original scores, librettos, stage designs, costumes are displayed, accompanied by backlit panels that tell the historical context through images and multimedia content created by Holden Studios. Extraordinary documents and audio-visual materials, scientifically organized with the contribution of the Rossini Foundation.
At the end of the tour, due to health safety regulations, the audio and video room is currently not accessible, where, as soon as possible, visitors will be able to enjoy Rossini’s works in a relaxed setting, along with other interactive stations including a 3D virtual tour of the Rossini Temple at the Rossini Conservatory.
The National Museum is indeed the jewel in the crown of the Rossini tour in Pesaro, which, in addition to the Rossini Theatre and the Temple, includes Casa Rossini, Palazzo Mosca – Civic Museums, Palazzo Olivieri, and the Library of the Rossini Foundation (located on the ground floor of the building). The museum’s vocation is primarily educational, translating into a rich program of guided and theatrical visits for the public, as well as educational activities specifically for schools. Activities curated by Sistema Museo, which during this phase of restrictions on class outings, has launched a series of online and streaming proposals.
The museum was also created to engage with music of all times, dedicated to events and temporary exhibitions for audiences of all ages. After the exhibition “Wall of Sound,” featuring the famous photographs of pop stars by Guido Harari, which inaugurated the museum, the series continues with “NOI. They Were Not Just Songs,” our story told through great author music, extended and available for visit until February 28 (also at Palazzo Mosca – Civic Museums).
