Duetto buffo di due gatti

The Duetto buffo di due gatti ("humorous duet for two cats") is a popular performance piece for sopranos. It is often performed as a concert encore.

Composition

While the piece is typically attributed to Gioachino Rossini, it was not actually written by him, but is instead a compilation written in 1825 that draws from parts of his 1816 opera, Otello. The compiler was likely the English composer Robert Lucas de Pearsall, who for this purpose used the pseudonym "G. Berthold".

Music and lyrics

The music, in order of appearance, consists of:

• part of the cabaletta to the aria "Ah, come mai non senti", sung by Rodrigo in Act 2 of Otello
• part of the duet in the same act for Otello and Iago
• the "Katte-Cavatine" by the Danish composer C.E.F. Weyse

The lyrics are uncharacteristic, consisting entirely of the repeated word "miau" ("meow").

Recordings

Some albums including this piece are:

• A Tribute to Gerald Moore, EMI Classics: Victoria de los Angeles (soprano), Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (soprano), Gerald Moore (piano), released 2003 (expanded reissue of 1969 release), also known as "Le Duo des Chats"
• Sweet Power of Song, EMI Classics: Felicity Lott (soprano), Ann Murray (mezzo-soprano), Graham Johnson (piano), released 1990
• Duets for Two Sopranos, BIS: Elisabeth Söderström (soprano) and Kerstin Meyer (mezzo-soprano), Jan Eyron (piano), released 1992
• Wir Schwestern Zwei, Wie Schönen, Nightingale: Edita Gruberova (soprano), Vesselina Kasarova (mezzo soprano), and Friedrich Haider (piano). Last track, also identified as "Katzen-Duett"
• Von ganzem Herzen, Catalyst: Montserrat Caballé, Montserrat Martí, released 1998

See also

• "Duo miaulé" in L'enfant et les sortilèges

References

• Andrew Cooper, "Rossini's Cat Duet", message to OPERA-L, June 17, 2004.
• Duetto buffo di due gatti (Cat Duet), for 2 voices & piano (spurious), QR iv/1 at All Music Guide
• Score at el-atril.com