2. The Rossinian Repertoire

This chapter delves into the Rossinian tradition and explores Tetrazzini’s recordings related to the roles of Rosina and Semiramide, even though Tetrazzini never performed Semiramide on stage during her career. I pay particular attention to the so-called lesson scene in Barbiere, which in the nineteenth century had already assumed a metatheatrical dimension, breaking the imaginary fourth wall with the audience. Tetrazzini’s interpretations are analysed in relation to nineteenth-century sources, with the idea that a line of continuity may be drawn between her and her predecessors.