BARICCO IN ROSSINI’S MIRROR

Abstract

This paper provides a comparative analysis of Alessandro Baricco's examination of Rossini's operas from both a musical-philosophical perspective and in relation to his literary works. This simultaneous examination encompasses, on the one hand, the theoretical perspectives articulated by the author in the essay Genius on the Run: Two Essays on the Musical Theater of Gioachino Rossini, as well as within a specific series of plays titled Totem, and on the other hand, selected passages from Baricco's novels. Implicit in this study is the assertion that numerous themes and processes acknowledged by the author as distinctly Rossini's may also be attributed to Baricco himself. They share a commonality in dismantling established conventions, questioning the notion of purposefulness, and challenging the absoluteness of the concept of madness, a persistent emphasis on themes such as journey, change, impermanence, imaginary elements and rhythms. Beyond the previously cited sources, the research extended to encompass eight additional literary works by Baricco.