Language: French
Subtitles: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish

William Tell (French: Guillaume Tell; Italian: Guglielmo Tell) is a French-language opera in four acts by Italian composer Gioachino Rossini to a libretto by Victor-Joseph Étienne de Jouy and L. F. Bis, based on Friedrich Schiller's play Wilhelm Tell, which, in turn, drew on the William Tell legend. The opera was Rossini's last, although he lived for nearly 40 more years. Fabio Luisi said that Rossini planned for Guillaume Tell to be his last opera even as he composed it. The often-performed overture in four sections features a depiction of a storm and a vivacious finale, the "March of the Swiss Soldiers".

In his last opera Rossini takes all the risks to adapt to the new tastes of the public: Guillaume Tell, a large historical fresco inspired by Schiller's tragedy, breaks with the world of bel canto and inaugurates the genre of "grand opera à la French ”which will flourish with Meyerbeer. By choosing to set this founding episode of the Swiss Confederation to music, Rossini did not meet with the hoped-for success. No doubt because it was a pivotal work, on the verge of romanticism, in which the feeling for nature and the patriotic impulse were served by new vocal typologies far removed from the usual style of the great Italian composer. In order to best serve dramatic expression, Rossini moved away from the ornate writing that had ensured his immense fame to create roles with formidable vocal demands.

William Tell is restless of Switzerland’s oppression under Gesler. Arnold is chided by his father for not marrying, but he is in love with Mathilde, who hails from the enemy Austria. During a wedding festivity, a wounded shepherd Leuthold explains that he killed one of Gesler’s men to defend his daughter. Tell helps Leuthold escape as Gesler’s men arrive. Arnold’s father is taken prisoner for not revealing the identity of Leuthold’s helper.

Mathilde and Arnold meet and reveal their love for one another. She asks him to join the Austrians and fight for glory. After she leaves, Arnold is confronted by Tell and Walter. They tell him that Gesler has executed his father and Arnold immediately pledges allegiance to the Swiss.

Arnold tells Mathilde of Gesler’s crime and she realizes that they cannot be together. Meanwhile Gesler captures Tell’s son Jemmy and forces Tell to fire an arrow at an apple over his son’s head. Tell takes two arrows, hiding one, and manages to pass the test. Gesler notices the second arrow and Tell confesses that he plans to use it to kill him. Jemmy and Tell are captured once more, but Mathilde arrives and claims Jemmy for herself. Arnold vows to save Tell. Tell manages to pilot a ship that is headed for shipwreck. Tell ultimately kills Gesler and then Arnold arrives to tell the others that they have taken Altdorf, the main palace. Mathilde joins Arnold and promises to stand by his side in the battle for independence.

Direction: Roland Schwab (Director), Sébastien Rouland (Music Conductor)
Cast: Davide Damiani (Wilhelm Tell), Sungmin Song (Arnold Melcthal), Anieszka Hauzer (Mathilde), Hiroshi Matsui (Gesler), Herdís Anna Jónasdòttir (Jemmy), Judith Braun (Hedwig), Guillaume Antoine (Walter Furst), Angelos Samartzis (Rodolphe), Stefan Röttig (Leuthold), Markus Jaursch (Melcthal), Algirdas Drevinskas (Ruodi), Alto Betz (Chasseur)