Farsa (

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

, literally: ''farce'', plural: ''farse'') is a genre of

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

, associated with

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...

in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It is also sometimes called ''farsetta''. Farse were normally one-act operas, sometimes performed together with short ballets. Many of the recorded productions were at the Teatro San Moisè in Venice, often during Carnival. Musically they may have derived from the two-act dramma giocoso, although there were other influences, including the French '' comédie mêlée d'ariettes''. Few of the original 18th-century farse are now performed. The

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

composer

Johann Simon Mayr Johann(es) Simon Mayr (also spelled Majer, Mayer, Maier), also known in Italian as Giovanni Simone Mayr or Simone Mayr (14 June 1763 – 2 December 1845), was a German composer. His music reflects the transition from the Classical to the ...

, who lived in Northern Italy, wrote about 30 farse. Rossini wrote five examples: ''

La cambiale di matrimonio ''La cambiale di matrimonio'' (; English: ''The Bill of Marriage'' or ''The Marriage Contract'') is a one-act operatic farsa comica by Gioachino Rossini to a libretto by Gaetano Rossi. The libretto was based on the play by Camillo Federici (1 ...

'' (1810), ''

L'inganno felice ''L'inganno felice'' (''The Fortunate Deception'') is an opera in one act by Gioachino Rossini with a libretto by Giuseppe Maria Foppa. Rossini called his opera a '' farsa'', although as Richard Osborne explains: "Its designation as a ''farsa'' ...

'' (1812), '' La scala di seta'' (1812), ''

Il Signor Bruschino ''Il signor Bruschino, ossia Il figlio per azzardo'' ''(Signor Bruschino, or The Accidental Son)'' is a one act operatic farce ( farsa giocosa per musica) by Gioachino Rossini to a libretto by Giuseppe Maria Foppa, based upon the 1809 play ''Le f ...

'' (1813), and '' Adina'' (1818). In addition, his ''

L'occasione fa il ladro ''L’occasione fa il ladro, ossia Il cambio della valigia'' ( English: ''Opportunity Makes a Thief, or The Exchanged Suitcase'') is an opera (''burletta per musica'' or '' farsa'') in one act by Gioachino Rossini to an Italian libretto by Luigi ...

'' (1812), though called a ''

Burletta In theater and music history, a burletta (Italian, meaning "little joke", sometimes burla or burlettina) is a brief comic opera. In eighteenth-century Italy, a burletta was the comic intermezzo between the acts of an ''opera seria''. The extended ...

per musica'', is a farsa in all but name.

References

*''Farsa'' by David Bryant, in 'The New Grove Dictionary of Opera', ed. Stanley Sadie (London, 1992) {{Opera genres Opera genres Italian opera terminology