" Semiramide " was written by Rossini in less than three weeks. When it was first presented the public found it " German " in manner and its composer was severely cen sured. Today, it seems the acme of Italianism in style, and it may well stand as the climax of the florid school of operatic vocalization which flourished in the day of Rossini and his contemporaries. The music for all the leading characters bass and tenor, as well as contralto and soprano — fairly teems with ornaments, roulades, cadenzas and brilliant pas sage work. There is probably no other Italian opera score so crowded with vocal fireworks.
The opera now has disappeared almost totally from the operatic repertory but among numbers which were greatly admired are the overture and the Queen's aria " Bel Raggio " (" Sweet Ray that fills my soul "), both of which have occa sional performance still in public. Arsaces' cavatina, " Ah! come da quel di " (" Ah! from that happy day "), his aria "Ah! to gelar mi fai " ("Ah! my soul thou freezest "); the duets for Arsaces and Assur and two for Semiramide and Arsaces are admirable of their kind.
Semiramide was one of the eight operas performed during the first season of Italian Opera in America. They were given by the Garcia troupe in the old Park Theater, New York, in 1825 and 1826. It was one of Madame Patti's favorite operas, and frequently in her concert pro grams one saw a number of its best solos. When in 1886 and 1887 Abbey was striving to make a financial success, he used the now worn-out scheme of the " fare well appearance," and Madame Patti's as the golden voice never again to be heard in Italian opera in this country, Semiramide was one of the vehicles he chose to display her talent. His advertising brought results, and crowds flocked to hear the famous Patti, for as Krehbiel says, they desired to be able to say in the future that they had heard the greatest songstress of the last generation of the Nineteenth Century. Since her day, Semiramide has seldom been heard in America as a complete opera.