Rossini: La Gazza Ladra

While the overture to this opera (better known on these shores as The Thieving Magpie) is one of the best known and most popular, the opera itself is rarely staged. This performance from the 2007 Pesaro Festival in Italy was rather controversial because it was set in a police state, and had equally controversial staging. However, in an audio-only performance what matters is the singing and conducting, and both on this recording (delivered across three discs) are quite good. The singing is particularly impressive in the second act, which has a fine father-daughter scene. This live performance of a lesser known Rossini may not be for everybody, but lovers of the composer will find much to enjoy. dynamic.it