The true identify of the captives in "The Musicians"

Dear Filiberto,

thank you, I am really enjoying this salon.


In the Musicians form 1880 [typing mistake in the salon] you show what might be an embroidery on linen.

Help.

It rings no bells nor plays any jar drums that I recognise.

But I do know the identity of the two Italian ladies in the painting. Their capture and history has been well documented by Gioacchino Rossini in L'italiana in Algeri. The two Italian Ladies in Algiers which premiered in 1813. They are Elvira and Isabella

ciao

Richard Farber

and just a little historical comment. When the Turks were a feared enemy at the gates of Vienna nobody was making fun of them in the theater or attempting to copy their music. Only when the threat passed towards the end of the 18th century do we get "Ottoman" themes in operas and "Turkish" music and perhaps then "Ottoman" themes in paintings.

Well, thank you Richard for your insight and for the correction of my typing mistake.
No matter how many times I read the text searching for errors I didn’t notice it. Actually it is 1890 (those Italian ladies really didn’t look at all their age).
Now it is corrected.
Regards,

Filiberto

Filiberto et al -

I knew that Richard Farber knew his music, but had not suspected that the range of his lady friend acquaintances was this wide (or, rather, "deep"). Remarkable. I can barely remember any of the girls in my eighth grade class.

Regards,

R. John Howe