Antonio Salieri: Ouverture to Der Rauchfangkehrer Video

Overture to Salieri`s only comic German Singspiel, "Der Rauchfangkehrer" (The Chimney-Sweep), which premiered in Vienna`s Burgtheatre in 1781. It relates the story of Volpino, an Italian chimney-sweep working in the rich mansion of Frau von Habicht, a young widow and a retired opera singer. Volpino needs a dowry to marry his beloved Lisel, the cook of the mansion, so he devises an astute plan to obtain the money he needs from Herr von Bar and Herr von Wolf, two ambitious noblemen who are wooing Frau von Habicht and her step-daughter, Fraule Nannette, for their wealth. The clever chimeney-sweep enamors both Frau von Habicht and Fraule Nannette, and tells the noblemen that he will only disinterest them if he gets his dowry. The Singspiel provides very much humour with Volpino`s shrewdness and the ambition, lies, and schemes that develop. Additionally, it enchants the ears with remarkable virtuoso arias. The music that Salieri wrote for Caterina Cavalieri, sung by Fraule Nannette, is brilliant, challenging, and worthy of a talented coloratura soprano, a fact especially evident in the aria "Wenn dem Adler das Gefieder." Similarly, the arias written for Ludwig Fischer, who sung Herr von Bar and created the role of Osmin in Mozart`s "Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail," display his infinitely low register, as well as his exceptional acting skills.