13-22 Dec 2006. Conducted by Jean-Christophe Spinosi, directed by Giorgio Barberio Corsetti, with Michele Pertusi and Sonia Prina.

The new opera season at the Teatro Regio of Parma gets underway with La pietra del paragone by Rossini (13-22 Dec). It is one of the least known operas by the composer from Pesaro, but no less beautiful. It was first performed on 26 December 1812 at the Scala in Milan, and Stendhal Rossinis friend and biographer said that it received enthusiastic success, that people flocked from all of the surrounding cities and that Rossini became Milans favourite person. The opera was performed on 53 evenings and the final run ended with seven encores. As a proof of its popularity, it is enough to remember that the aria Ombretta sdegnosa del Missipip was so well known and sung by everyone that Antonio Fogazzaro cites it in his novel Piccolo mondo antico, although ignoring that it came from the Rossini opera. Trying to recreate that old success will be director Giorgio Barberio Corsetti and the video-maker Pierrick Sorrin. A company of interesting singers is also involved, among whom shine out Michele Pertusi and Sonia Prina, and the conductor Jean-Christophe Spinosi, who returns to the Regio following the success he achieved last year with Die Zauberflte. Paolo Di Nicola