Pure delight

This is fantastic. It's one of Rossini's short farces; the story is slight, the ending predictable. But the music is top drawer Rossini - every piece full of sparkle and mischief. The singing could hardly be better. Susan Patterson and Robert Gambill both went on to sing heavier roles; they are unusually full voiced for Rossini, but both have the flexibility to get round the speedy bits and beautiful voices as well. The baritone is gorgeous. You get Alessandro Corbelli doing his put-upon servant bit, and even the smallest role is sung impeccably by English National Opera stalwart Stuart Kale. The production from the opening storm to the peaceful Naples coastline later is blissful. Only drawback is that it is 4:3 ratio. Unmissable.