Introducing...

Il turco in Italia

We take a look at Rossini’s sparkling comedy.

We take a look at Rossini’s sparkling comedy, which bubbles with energy, wit and Italian style.

Get a taste of the production in this trailer:

A brief introduction

Il turco in Italia is a laugh-out-loud comedy, full of energetic, buoyant music from the undisputed genius of comic opera – Rossini.

When the poet Prosdocimo finds himself wrestling with writer’s block, he vows to take inspiration from the people around him. There’s rich material in the outlandish inhabitants of Naples and the poet isn’t above a little stage-directing of his own to keep the drama flowing…

This is a piece that sparkles with wit and sophisticated silliness. If you like The Barber of Seville, you’ll love this.

Why not to miss it

Mariame Clément’s playful production opened to critical acclaim in 2021, with The Guardian calling it ‘pure escapism’, The Stage praising the ‘clever staging’ and Bachtrack saying ‘It’s brilliantly innovative, it’s hilarious and it’s remarkable’ in their 5 star reviews.

Clément takes us inside the mind of author Prosdocimo as his imagination spills onto the stage. His memorable characters lurch from one hilarious situation to another, from a Victorian parlour to a stylish Italian deli in the 50s – but will they find a happy ending?

Join us for the perfect dose of sunshine and laughs as the autumn nights draw in.

A great moment to look out for

The Act I quartet ‘Siete Turchi’ is a wonderful example of Rossini’s perfectly paced comedy.

Fiorilla and Selim are having a flirtatious chat, when they are interrupted first by her husband Geronio, then by her would-be-lover Narciso. Music builds up in layers until all the characters are caught together in a rather surreal encounter. Ever the quick thinker, Fiorilla even manages to get her husband to apologise to Selim while the latter is trying to seduce his wife!

The musical success of the ensemble lies in its pace and restraint – we expect things to spin out of control, but somehow they miraculously stay on the rails.