La gazza ladra Bellini's "I Puritani" starts with exactly the same words) are two examples of Rossini's brilliant vocal writing. Notes Sources La gazza ladra La gazza ladra (, The Thieving Magpie) is a "melodramma" or opera semiseria in two acts by Gioachino Rossini, with a libretto by Giovanni Gherardini based on "La pie voleuse" by Théodore Baudouin d'Aubigny and Louis-Charles Caigniez. The composer Giaochino Rossini wrote quickly, and "La gazza ladra" was no exception. According to legend, before the first performance of the opera, the producer assured the composition of the overture by locking Rossini in a room, from the window of
Bruce Ford (tenor) Théâtre de Bordeaux as Almaviva, and the Aix-en-Provence Festival, as Lindoro. He began specializing in the bel canto repertory notably Rossini, appearing at the Pesaro Festival and the Wexford Festival in roles such as Argirio in "Tancredi", Uberto in "La donna del lago", Rinaldo in "Armida", Agorante in "Ricciardo e Zoraide", Antenore in "Zelmira", Erisso in "Maometto II", Oreste in "Ermione", etc. In 1991, he sang in "Mitridate, re di Ponto" at the Royal Opera House in London. He also appeared at La Monnaie in Brussels, at La Scala in Milan, the Vienna State Opera, the Metropolitan Opera in New