Opera: L’occasione fa il ladro
Composer: Gioachino Rossini
Venue: MusikTheater an der Wien – Kammeroper Wien
Streaming platform: Operavisión (free streaming)
Stream available from: 30 January 2026, 19:00 CET
Available until: 30 July 2026, 12:00 CET
Recorded: 7 October 2025
Language: Italian
Subtitles: English, Italian, German
Orchestra: Wiener KammerOrchester
Conductor & fortepiano: Pedro Beriso
Director: Marcos Darbyshire
Composed in 1812, L’occasione fa il ladro already contains many of the elements that would define Rossini’s mature style: fast-moving ensembles, virtuosic vocal writing, and a sharp sense of theatrical timing. Written as a one-act farsa, the opera turns a simple case of mistaken luggage into a playful meditation on identity, disguise, and desire.
This acclaimed MusikTheater an der Wien production, recorded at the Kammeroper, is directed by Marcos Darbyshire, who places the question of “who is who” at the centre of the drama. A storm sets the plot in motion, but it is role-playing and deception that drive the action, as two couples navigate swapped identities and unexpected attractions before order—and love—are restored.
Performed by a young cast and accompanied by the Wiener KammerOrchester under Pedro Beriso, the production highlights both the comic energy and the surprising psychological clarity of this early Rossini work. The result is a compact, fast-paced opera that looks forward to Il barbiere di Siviglia while retaining the freshness and daring of a composer still finding his voice.
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