Torvaldo e Dorliska is an "in between" opera on several levels. It was written between two of Rossini's major works, his opera seria Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra and his opera buffa Il barbière di Siviglia. Torvaldo e Dorliska also falls between the two genres, with elements of both opera seria and opera buffa; in fact, he described it as an "opera semiseria." Perhaps the narrative and musical ambiguity of this hybrid explains the work's lack of initial success and its failure to recapture the stage. Its music is unfailingly attractive, but is more formulaic than Rossini's best work, and while the emotional complexity of the drama seems more positive than negative for modern audiences, it contains no blockbuster solos or ensembles memorable enough to inspire deep affection. The recording captures a live performance of the opera at the 2006 Rossini Opera Festival. The singing is above the provincial level, and while the soloists for the most part can negotiate Rossini's demanding coloratura, most sound like they are just at the edge of their ability, so the performances are somewhat guarded and lack the nearly reckless spontaneity that can make this repertoire so thrilling.
Francesco Meli stands out for his heroic, clarion tenor and for his vocal security as Torvaldo, and baritone
Bruno Praticò brings a strong voice and characterization to the comic role of Giorgio. Baritone
Michele Pertusi, as the villainous Duca d'Ordow, begins shakily, but gains confidence and authority as the performance progresses. The Orchestra Haydn di Bolzano e Trento and the Prague Chamber Choir, conducted by
Víctor Pablo Pérez, deliver solid performances, but they lack the brio to make the music really sparkle. The musicians are well miked, and the balance is good, but there is more than the usual extraneous noise for a live opera performance.