Matilde di Shabran

Matilde di Shabran (full title: Matilde di Shabran, ossia Bellezza e cuor di ferro; English: Matilde of Shabran, or Beauty and Heart of Iron), is a melodramma giocoso in two acts by Gioachino Rossini to a libretto by Jacopo Ferretti after François-Benoît Hoffman’s libretto for Méhul’s Euphrosine (1790, Paris) and J. M. Boutet de Monvel's play Mathilde. The opera was first performed in Rome at the Teatro Apollo, 24 February 1821 conducted by the violinist Niccolo Paganini. The premiere was followed by a street brawl "between Rossini's admirers and his detractors."

Three authentic versions of Matilde di Shabran exist. These are: the Rome version (24 February 1821); the Naples version (11 November 1821), and the Vienna version (7 May 1822). It is unlikely that Rossini participated directly in the 15 October 1821 performance that took place in Paris.

After the mixed reception at the premiere, performances continued at Teatro Apollo until the end of the season, and Matilde di Shabran went the rounds of other Italian cities. The opera appears to have been popular, with presentations in Europe (London on 3 July 1823) and New York (10 February 1834). However, apart from an 1892 staging in Florence, it was not staged again until 1974 in Genoa." This 1974 performance used the Roman version. The Roman version was also used in a performance of Matilde di Shabran as an oratorio in Paris in 1981. A revised version of the score was presented at the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro in 1996, 2004 and 2012, as well as at the Royal Opera, London in 2008; these three presentations have used the Neapolitan version;Juan Diego Flórez sang the role of Corradino each time. A 1998 performance at the Rossini in Wildbad Belcanto Opera Festival has used the Viennese version.

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