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41-405: Camille Maximilien Frédéric, count of Renesse (9 July 1836 – 12 June 1904), built the hotel following the designs of Belgian architects Kuoni and Jules Rau in a Neo-Renaissance style; building commenced in 1882 and the hotel was opened on 1 July 1884. Initially called "Hôtel Kursaal de la Maloja" it was renamed "Maloja Palace", becoming the first hotel to bear the name "Palace" at its time and

82-536: A four-star hotel with 50 suites and 130 rooms, a wellness centre, a ballroom and dining rooms for 700 people. As part of the reopening, to coincide with the 125th anniversary of its first opening, a performance of The Barber of Seville ( Gioachino Rossini ) took place in the hotel lobby, as part of the St. Moritz Summer Opera Festival. Every winter, on the second Sunday of March, the Engadin Skimarathon competition,

123-715: A dormitory inspired by the Hôtel Kursaal de la Maloja's architecture. For a long time a rumour has got abroad that Count de Renesse, being drunk, fell off his residence, the Belvedere tower above the hotel, into the Bergell valley; in fact he moved to Nice where he wrote some Christian books; there he died in 1904. The Barber of Seville The Barber of Seville, or The Useless Precaution ( Italian : Il barbiere di Siviglia, ossia L'inutile precauzione [il barˈbjɛːre di siˈviʎʎa osˈsiːa liˈnuːtile prekautˈtsjoːne] )

164-603: A fiery forge: the sound of the anvils deafens the ear"). A room in Bartolo's house with a piano Count Almaviva again appears at the doctor's house, this time disguised as Don Alonso, a priest and singing tutor who is substituting for the supposedly ailing Basilio. To gain Bartolo's trust, Don Alonso tells him he has intercepted a note from Lindoro to Rosina, and says that Lindoro is a servant of Count Almaviva who has dishonorable intentions towards Rosina. While Almaviva pretends to give Rosina her singing lesson ("Contro un cor"; "Against

205-712: A giant Monte Carlo-like hotel resort with a grand hotel , baths and golf courses in the Engadin valley for the European aristocracy. After being rejected in Celerina , Sils and finally in St. Moritz due to the Badrutt family's huge power, Count de Renesse succeeded in purchasing some 140 hectares of land in Maloja , at the Lake of Sils . Between 1882 and 1884 he put his vision to reality by letting build

246-435: A heart"), Figaro arrives to shave Bartolo. Not wanting to leave Rosina alone with the singing teacher, Bartolo insists Figaro shave him right there in the music room. Basilio suddenly appears for his scheduled music lesson, but he is bribed by a full purse from Almaviva and persuaded to leave again, with much discussion of how ill he looks. (Quintet: "Don Basilio! – Cosa veggo!"; "Don Basilio! – What do I see?"). Bartolo overhears

287-406: A majority stake. It leased the hotel complex to the operating company Intersoc , ensuring the continuity of the affordable Swiss holidays the insurer had been running since 1949. With these, it offered its (often economically needy) members and their families first-time exposure to the joys of mountain life and hiking, both in summer and winter. However, the 1980s saw a steady decline in bookings as

328-420: A public square outside Bartolo's house a band of musicians and a poor student named Lindoro are serenading, to no avail, the window of Rosina (" Ecco, ridente in cielo "; "There, laughing in the sky"). Lindoro, who is really the young Count Almaviva in disguise, hopes to make the beautiful Rosina love him for himself – not his money. Almaviva pays off the musicians who then depart, leaving him to brood alone. Rosina

369-399: A small stage where two concerts a day were given in summer months by musicians from the orchestra of La Scala . The Maloja Palace had electricity and elevators, which were very modern at its time, an air refreshment system enhanced by the addition of ozone (early air conditioning), a nine-hole golf course, two tennis courts and a darsena for rowing and sailing boats on Sils lake . However,

410-932: Is a staple of the operatic repertoire Because of a scarcity of true contraltos, the role of Rosina has most frequently been sung by a coloratura mezzo-soprano (with or without pitch alterations, depending on the singer), and has in the past, and occasionally in more recent times, been sung by coloratura sopranos such as Marcella Sembrich , Maria Callas , Roberta Peters , Gianna D'Angelo , Victoria de los Ángeles , Beverly Sills , Lily Pons , Diana Damrau , Edita Gruberová , Kathleen Battle and Luciana Serra . Famous recent mezzo-soprano Rosinas include Marilyn Horne , Teresa Berganza , Frederica von Stade , Lucia Valentini Terrani , Susanne Marsee , Cecilia Bartoli , Joyce DiDonato , Jennifer Larmore , Elīna Garanča , Isabel Leonard and Vesselina Kasarova . Famous contralto Rosinas include Ewa Podleś who made her stage debut in that role. The square in front of Bartolo's house In

451-490: Is an opera buffa in two acts composed by Gioachino Rossini with an Italian libretto by Cesare Sterbini . The libretto was based on Pierre Beaumarchais 's French comedy The Barber of Seville (1775). The première of Rossini's opera (under the title Almaviva, o sia L'inutile precauzione ) took place on 20 February 1816 at the Teatro Argentina , Rome, with designs by Angelo Toselli . Rossini's Barber of Seville

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492-733: Is based on the second part of the Beaumarchais trilogy. (This play was originally conceived as an opéra comique , but was rejected as such by the Comédie-Italienne .) The play as it is now known was premiered in 1775 by the Comédie-Française at the Théâtre des Tuileries in Paris . Other operas based on the first play were composed by Giovanni Paisiello ( in 1782 ), by Nicolas Isouard in 1796, and then by Francesco Morlacchi in 1816. Though

533-481: Is considered to be one of the greatest masterpieces of comedy within music, and has been described as the opera buffa of all "opere buffe". After two centuries, it remains a popular work. Rossini's opera recounts the events of the first of the three plays by French playwright Pierre Beaumarchais that revolve around the clever and enterprising character named Figaro , the barber of the title. Mozart 's opera The Marriage of Figaro , composed 30 years earlier in 1786,

574-684: Is in the piece of paper in Rosina's hands, but she fools him by handing over her laundry list. Bartolo and the Count argue loudly. Basilio enters; then Figaro, who warns that the noise of the argument is rousing the whole neighborhood. Finally, the noise attracts the attention of the Officer of the Watch and his troops, who crowd into the room. Bartolo demands that the Officer arrest the "drunken soldier". The Officer starts to do so, but Almaviva quietly reveals his true identity to

615-460: Is proof that Lindoro is merely a flunky of Almaviva and is toying with her at Almaviva's behest. Rosina believes the story and agrees to marry Bartolo. During an instrumental interlude, the music creates a thunder storm to indicate the passage of time. Almaviva and Figaro climb up a ladder to the balcony and enter Rosina's room through a window. Rosina accuses Almaviva, whom she believes to be Lindoro, of betraying her. Almaviva reveals his identity and

656-400: Is sometimes transposed a semitone up into F major for coloratura sopranos to perform, giving them the chance to sing extra, almost traditional, cadenzas , sometimes reaching high Ds or even Fs.) Knowing the Count only as Lindoro, Rosina writes to him because she is interested in getting to know him better. As she is leaving the room, Bartolo enters with the music teacher Basilio. Bartolo

697-464: Is suspicious of the Count, and Basilio advises that he be put out of the way by creating false rumours about him (this aria, "La calunnia è un venticello" – "Calumny is a little breeze" – is almost always sung a tone lower than the original D major ). When the two have gone, Rosina and Figaro enter. Figaro asks Rosina to write a few encouraging words to Lindoro, which she has actually already written. (Duet: "Dunque io son...tu non m'inganni?"; "Then I'm

738-511: Is the young ward of the grumpy, elderly Bartolo and she is allowed very little freedom because Bartolo plans to marry her once she is of age and thus appropriate her considerable dowry. Figaro approaches singing (Aria: " Largo al factotum della città"; "Make way for the factotum of the city"). Since Figaro used to be a servant of the Count, the Count asks him for assistance in helping him meet Rosina, offering him money should he be successful in arranging this (duet: "All'idea di quel metallo"; "At

779-576: The Hôtel Kursaal de la Maloja (nowadays Maloja Palace ). But since just a few days after the grand opening a cholera epidemic broke out in nearby Italy , Count de Renesse had to file for bankruptcy after six months. Furthermore, Countess Marvina died of a so-called "fat heart" in Basel in the same autumn. Nonetheless the hotel remained a lucrative location for Europe's rich people in the following decades. In 1891, Stanford University completed Encina Hall,

820-580: The Teatro Argentina in Rome on 20 February 1816 was a disaster: the audience hissed and jeered throughout, and several on-stage accidents occurred. Furthermore, many of the audience were supporters of one of Rossini's rivals, the veteran Giovanni Paisiello , who played on mob mentality to provoke the rest of the audience to dislike the opera. Paisiello had already composed The Barber of Seville and took Rossini's new version to be an affront to his version. In particular, Paisiello and his followers were opposed to

861-575: The "audacity" of the young composer and the work is now forgotten. Rossini was well known for being remarkably productive, completing an average of two operas per year for 19 years, and in some years writing as many as four. Musicologists believe that, true to form, the music for Il barbiere di Siviglia was composed in just under three weeks, although the famous overture was actually recycled from two earlier Rossini operas, Aureliano in Palmira and Elizabeth, Queen of England and thus contains none of

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902-458: The "soldier" that he (Bartolo) has an official exemption which excuses him from the requirement to quarter soldiers in his home. Almaviva pretends to be too drunk and belligerent to understand, and dares Bartolo to brawl. While Bartolo searches his cluttered desk for the official document which would prove his exemption, Almaviva whispers to Rosina that he is Lindoro in disguise, and passes a love-letter to her. Bartolo suspiciously demands to know what

943-476: The Officer, and he (the Officer) backs off. Bartolo and Basilio are astonished and mystified; Figaro laughs quietly at them. (Finale: "Fredda ed immobile, come una statua"; "Cold and still, just like a statue"). The confusion intensifies and causes everyone to suffer headaches and auditory hallucinations ("Mi par d'esser con la testa in un'orrida fucina; dell'incudini sonore l'importuno strepitar"; "My head seems to be in

984-566: The Park Theatre. The cast of eight had three other members of his family, including the 17-year-old Maria-Felicia, later known as Maria Malibran . The role of Rosina was originally written for a contralto . According to music critic Richard Osborne, writing in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera , "it is important to record the degree to which singers have sometimes distorted Rossini's intentions. The most serious distortion has been

1025-574: The barracks-styled complex was increasingly at odds with changing lodging demands. The termination of the night train service between Brussels and Chur was another factor. As had other owners before, Mutualités chrétiennes began finding it hard to balance the books, in no small part due to high renovation costs. In January 2006 the Italian entrepreneur Amedeo Clavarino bought the Maloja Palace and, after extensive renovation work, it reopened in 2009 as

1066-574: The biggest and most modern hotel in the Alps. The E-shaped building had five floors with a central cushion-domed roof, curved windows heads for ground and top floors relieve an overall barrack-like appearance, as do the colored frieze on a horizontal string-course in common with many more palace hotels at the outbreak of the Great War. Originally had 300 rooms and about 450 beds as well as 20 public rooms, two enormous dining rooms and an equally large ballroom with

1107-557: The biggest skiing event in the Alps, attracting between 11,000 and 13,000 cross-country skiers each year, starts at the entrance of the hotel. A typography font called "Maloja Palace" was created in 2003 by Nick Curtis following the design of a 1930s luggage tag signed by Brügger, A.G. - Meiringen. Camille of Renesse-Breidbach Camille Maximilien Frédéric, Count de Renesse-Breidbach (9 July 1836 in Brussels – 12 June 1904 in Nice )

1148-650: The hotel subsequently reopened with various owners. In following decades the gigantic hotel served the Swiss Army which held there refresher courses. The building suffered removal of the central cushion-domed roof and lost its attractiveness. As of 1962 the hotel was owned by the Holiday Hotel Maloja AG, in which the largest Belgian health insurer, Mutualités chrétiennes  [ fr ] (also known as Christelijke Mutualiteit  [ nl ] in Dutch), held

1189-735: The hotel went bankrupt only five months after opening, as cholera had broken out in neighbouring Italy just four days after its opening. Among its many famous guests, the hotel records mention Vito Leccese, Mortimer Canepa, Jean Hennessy , Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin (inventor of the rigid dirigible ), Baron Rothschild , Arturo Toscanini , Clementine Churchill , Sarah Bernhardt , Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (father of Sherlock Holmes), Prussian prince Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg, Russian prince Kotchoubey, Esterházy family and painters like Giovanni Segantini and Alberto Giacometti who painted "Paysage à Maloja: le lac de Sils et le Maloja Palace" ca 1920. Until 1934 where crisis forced its closure,

1230-422: The idea of that metal"). Figaro advises the Count to disguise himself as a drunken soldier, ordered to be billeted with Bartolo, so as to gain entrance to the house. For this suggestion, Figaro is richly rewarded. A room in Bartolo's house with four doors The scene begins with Rosina's cavatina , "Una voce poco fa" ("A voice a little while ago"). (This aria was originally written in the key of E major , but it

1271-408: The lovers conspiring, and angrily drives everybody away. Berta vents about the crazy household ("Il vecchiotto cerca moglie"). A room in Bartolo's house with a grille looking out onto the square . Bartolo orders Basilio to have the notary ready to marry him to Rosina that evening. Basilio leaves and Rosina arrives. Bartolo shows Rosina the letter she wrote to "Lindoro" and persuades her that this

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1312-406: The one...you're not fooling me?"). Although surprised by Bartolo, Rosina manages to fool him, but he remains suspicious. (Aria: "A un dottor della mia sorte"; "To a doctor of my class"). Count Almaviva, disguised as a soldier and pretending to be drunk, enters the house and demands to be quartered there. In fear of the drunken man, Berta the housekeeper rushes to Bartolo for protection. Bartolo tells

1353-441: The practice of inserting Alexander Alyabyev 's "Nightingale". In a recording of a La Scala performance in 1956, Maria Callas sang a shortened version of "Contro un cor", transposed up a tone, in E. Once after Patti had sung a particularly florid rendition of the opera's legitimate aria, "Una voce poco fa", Rossini is reported to have asked her: "Very nice, my dear, and who wrote the piece you have just performed?" The piece

1394-509: The thematic material in Il barbiere di Siviglia itself. Luigi Zamboni , for whom Rossini wrote the role of Figaro, had urged Rossini and Francesco Sforza-Cesarini, the cash-strapped impresario of the Teatro Argentina, to engage his sister-in-law, Elisabetta Gafforini , as Rosina. However, her fee was too high and in the end they settled on Geltrude Righetti . The premiere of Rossini's opera at

1435-405: The two reconcile. While Almaviva and Rosina are enraptured by one another, Figaro keeps urging them to leave. Two people are heard approaching the front door. They are Basilio and the notary. The Count, Rosina, and Figaro attempt to leave by way of the ladder, but discover it has been removed. Using bribes and threats, Almaviva coerces the notary into marrying him to Rosina, with Basilio and Figaro as

1476-514: The upward transposition of the role of Rosina, turning her from a lustrous alto into a pert soprano." However, it has also been noted that Rossini, who frequently altered his music for specific singers, wrote a new aria for the second act for Joséphine Fodor-Mainvielle , a soprano who had sung Rosina in the 1818 London premiere, and sang the new aria c. 1820 at the Théâtre-Italien in Paris, where it

1517-697: The use of basso buffo , which is common in comic opera . The second performance, however, was successful. The original French play, Le Barbier de Séville , had a similar story: poorly received at first, only to become a favorite within a week. The opera was first performed in England on 10 March 1818 at the King's Theatre in London in Italian, soon followed on 13 October at the Covent Garden Theatre by an English version translated by John Fawcett and Daniel Terry . It

1558-429: The work of Paisiello triumphed for a time, only Rossini's version has stood the test of time and continues to be a mainstay of operatic repertoire. On 11 November 1868, two days before Rossini's death, the composer Constantino Dall'Argine  [ es ] (1842–1877) premiered an opera based on the same libretto as Rossini's work, bearing a dedication to Rossini. The premiere was not a failure, but critics condemned

1599-786: Was a Belgian nobleman , entrepreneur and author. De Renesse was born in 1836 at Brussels to an aristocratical family of Dutch descent. His parents were Maximilien C.J.G.R van Renesse Breidbach and Berthe Walburge Francoise van Gruben. He was a grandson of Clement Wenceslas van Renesse Breidbach (1774–1833), who had sold the ancestral Castle of Renesse to Leonard du Bus de Gisignies . Camille married Countess Malvina de Kerchhove de Deterghem on 10 November 1868, daughter of Count Charles-Constant de Kerchhove de Deterghem (1819–1882) and Eugénie de Limon (1824–1899). While dwelling in St. Moritz for recreation Count de Renesse got his vision to establish

1640-837: Was first performed in America on 3 May 1819 in English (probably the Covent Garden version) at the Park Theatre in New York . It was given in French at the Théâtre d'Orléans in New Orleans on 4 March 1823, and became the first opera ever to be performed in Italian in New York, when Manuel Garcia (who played Almaviva) and his Italian troupe opened their first season there with Il barbiere on 29 November 1825 at

1681-515: Was published. The singing lesson in act 2 has often been turned into "a show-stopping cabaret". Adelina Patti was known to include Luigi Arditi 's "Il bacio", the Bolero from Verdi's I vespri siciliani , the Shadow Song from Meyerbeer's Dinorah , and Henry Bishop 's " Home! Sweet Home! ". Nellie Melba followed suit, accompanying herself on the piano in the final song. Pauline Viardot began

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