La scala di seta (The Silken Ladder or Die seidene Leiter) is an operatic farsa comica in one act by Gioachino Rossini to a libretto by Giuseppe Maria Foppa. Adapted from L'échelle de soie by Eugène de Planard. It was first performed in Venice, Italy, at the Teatro San Moisè on 9 May 1812. The overture has been frequently recorded and continues to be featured in the modern concert repertoire.

From 1810 to 1813, the young Rossini composed four Italian farse, beginning with La cambiale di matrimonio (The Bill of Marriage), his first opera, and ending with Il Signor Bruschino. These types of short pieces were popular in Venice at the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century. The pieces were intimate, with a cast of five to seven singers, always including a pair of lovers, at least two comic parts, and one or two other minor roles. The style called for much visual comedy improvised by the players. As compared to many genres of opera, acting and comedic talent is more important relative to the required singing ability. Rossini's farces also have a significant sentimental element.

Roles RoleVoice typePremiere Cast, 9 May 1812(Conductor: - )Dormont, tutortenorGaetano Dal MonteGiulia, his pupilsopranoMaria CantarelliLucilla, Giulia's cousinsopranoCarolina NagherDorviltenorRaffaele MonelliBlansacbassNicola TacciGermano, Giulia's servantbassNicola De Grecis

Synopsis Time: 18th Century Place: ParisOsborne, Charles, Bel Canto Operas, p. 18 Location:The events take place in the apartment of Giulia, pupil of old Dormont

Dormont is the teacher and guardian of the beautiful Giulia, and he is determined that she will marry Blansac despite her continual rejection of his advances. The fact is that Giulia is already married to Blansac's friend Dorvil, who every night is able to exercise his conjugal rights because Giulia lowers a ladder made of silk down to him from her bedroom window.

The opera opens in the morning. Owing to the attentions of Giulia's cousin Lucilla, and the family servant, Germano, Dorvil has great difficulty making his escape by his usual method. Blansac is due to arrive at any minute in his quest to win Giulia's love, but she has devised a scheme to divert his amorous attentions towards her cousin, who would make an excellent wife for him.

Giulia intends to bring Lucilla and Blansac together, and persuades Germano to spy on them from a secret hiding place to see how the relationship develops. Blansac arrives with his good friend Dorvil, who desperately tries to persuade him that Giulia is not looking for a husband. Unfortunately this only has the effect of making Blansac more determined, and more confident of success. He suggests that Dorvil might care to hide and see how successfully he is able to woo Giulia. Consequently, when Giulia enters, her meeting with Blansac is being overheard by both Germano and by her husband.

Giulia decides to probe Blansac to see if he would make a good and faithful husband for her cousin. Her questioning deceives all of the men listening into thinking that she is genuinely interested in Blansac. Dorvil emerges from hiding and storms off in fury, much to Germano's surprise, who also shows himself. In the midst of all the confusion and noise Lucilla enters and Blansac suddenly notices what a fine looking young woman she is. Decidedly prettier than her cousin Giulia.

It is now late evening. Giulia is desperate for Dorvil to arrive so that she can explain the reason why she was questioning Blansac so closely about marriage. Once again the servant Germano is on hand and realizes that his mistress has an assignation. He can only assume that it is with Blansac, and decides to hide once more and see what happens. Unfortunately he is unable to keep his secret to himself and he lets Lucilla in on it. She is distressed to learn that Blansac, whom she now loves dearly, is meeting Giulia and she also determines to find a hiding place in Giulia's bedroom to observe proceedings.

There is general surprise and joyful amazement when it is Dorvil who climbs into the bedroom, followed closely by his friend who is intent on using the silken ladder to further his wooing, not of Giulia, but Lucilla. Everyone scatters when Dormont, who has been woken by all the noise, enters in his nightshirt. Seeing the way that everything has turned out for the best, he quickly forgives the couples for their underhand behavior and all ends in general rejoicing.

Recordings YearCast: Dormont, Giulia,Lucilla, DorvilConductor,Opera House and OrchestraLabel Recordings of La scala di seta on operadis-opera-discography.org.uk1953 Piero Besma,Angelica Tuccari,Giuseppina Savi,Giuseppe Gentile Giuseppe Morelli,Orchestra and Chorus Società del Quartetto di Roma LP: PeriodCat: SPL 591LP: NixaCat: PLP 591LP: ContrepointCat: MC 20.063LP: Opera SocietyCat: M 2071 361962 Manlio Rocchi,Graziela Sciutti,Margherita Rinaldi,Fernandino Jacopucci Franco Ferrara,Orchestra Filarmonica di RomaRecording of the soundtrack of a film from «Cine Lyrica Italiana» LP: RCA VictorCat: LM 2650LP: RCA VictorCat: E 5502-3LP: RCACat: VLS 325121983 Tulio Pane,Carmen Lavani,Tiziana Tramonti,Ernesto Palacio Marc Andreae,Orchestra della Svizzera ItalianaVideo recording of a television film VHS: House of OperaCat: VIDEO 1643DVD: House of OperaCat: DVD 1643DVD: Opus Arte «Faveo»Cat: 4023 D1988 Oslavio di Credico,Luciana Serra,Cecilia Bartoli,William Matteuzzi Gabriele Ferro,Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna CD: Fonit CetraCat: 102 203CD: Ricordi/Fonit CetraCat: RFCD 2003CD: Warner FonitCat: 0927 43307-21990 David Griffith,Luciana Serra,Jane Bunnell,David Kuebler Gianluigi Gelmetti,Radio-Sinfonie-Orchester StuttgartVideo recording of a performance at the Schwetzingen Festival DVD: EuroArtsCat: 20549781992 Fulvio Massa, Teresa Ringholz,Francesca Provvisionato,Ramón Vargas Marcello Viotti,English Chamber OrchestraAudio CD: Claves Cat: 50-9219-202000 Enrico Facini,,Claudia Marchi,Antonino Siragusa Alberto Zedda,Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di BolognaLive recording during the Rossini Festival, Pesaro (6 August 2000) CD: House of OperaCat: CD 7062001 Andrea Carboni, Gaia Matteini, Silvia Vajente, Samuele Simoncini Giovan Battista Varoli,I Solisti di Fiesole(Recorded at performances in Il Teatro Comunale di Castiglion Fiorentino (Arezzo), December)Audio CD: BongiovanniCat: GB 2316/7-2 2009 Daniele Zanfardino,Olga Peretyatko,Anna Malavasi,José Manuel Zapata Claudio Scimone,Orchestra Haydn di Bolzano e TrentoLive recording in the Teatro Rossini di Pesaro (August 2009) CD: premiereopera.net2022 Remy Burners,Claudia Urru,Meagan Sill,Michele Angelini José-Miguel Pérez-Sierra,Kraków Philharmonic OrchestraLive recording from the Rossini in Wildbad Festival (July 2021) CD: NaxosCat: 8.660512-13

References Notes

Sources Harewood, Earl of and Antony Peattie,(Eds.)(1997) The New Kobbe's Opera Book London, Ebury Press. Gossett, Philip; Brauner, Patricia (2001), "La scala di seta" in Holden, Amanda (ed.), The New Penguin Opera Guide, New York: Penguin Putnam. Osborne, Charles (1994), The Bel Canto Operas of Rossini, Donizetti, and Bellini, London: Methuen; Portland, Oregon: Amadeus Press. Osborne, Richard (1986), Rossini (Dent Master Musicians series), (Ed.) Stanley Sadie. London: The Orion Publishing Group, 1986. J. M. Dent, 1993 Osborne, Richard (1998), "La scala di seta", in Stanley Sadie, (Ed.), The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, Vol. Four. p. 198. London: Macmillan Publishers, Inc.

External links La scala di seta page Background information about Rossini farces