Slovenian National Theatre Opera and Ballet Ljubljana—Rossini’s Il viaggio a Reims (The Journey to Reims)

Bel canto at full stretch, with comedy from start to finish

For more than a century and a half, Rossini’s opera Il viaggio a Reims—composed for the coronation of Charles X in 1825—existed only as a rumour.

At the Golden Lily spa, a party of nobles and military officers prepares to depart for the coronation. Word arrives that no horses are to be found. The journey collapses, and the stranded company falls into an afternoon of flirtations, jealousies and preposterous diplomatic squabbles—a Europe in miniature, all behaving terribly.

Once forgotten, the work now ranks among Rossini’s finest comic creations. With as many as 18 solo roles (nine of them principal parts), it requires the complete Rossinian arsenal of agility, brilliance and bel canto bravura. One of Slovenia’s foremost cultural institutions, the opera house traces its roots to the late 19th century and counts this work among its signature productions.