Adina (opera)

Adina, ossia Il califfo di Bagdad is an opera in one act (farsa) by Gioachino Rossini to an Italian libretto by Gherardo Bevilacqua-Aldobrandini. It was commissioned and first performed at the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos, Lisbon, on 22 June 1826.

The opera is a light, comic work, set in Baghdad, and centers around the titular character, Adina, who has been abducted and separated from her husband, Selimo. The plot follows Selimo's efforts to rescue Adina and their eventual reunion, complicated by the affections of the Caliph for Adina. Musically, it features characteristic Rossinian melodies, ensembles, and vocal display. While not among Rossini's most frequently performed operas, Adina is recognized for its charming score and historical significance as Rossini's final opera written for an Italian libretto. It represents a transition in Rossini's career, foreshadowing his subsequent move to Paris and his engagement with French opera.