Rossini: Maometto secondo **
Paul Nilon, tenor | Siân Davies, soprano
Darren Jeffery, bass-baritone
Caitlin Hulcup, mezzo soprano
Christopher Diffey, tenor | Richard Dowling, tenor
Garsington Opera Orchestra and Chorus
David Parry, conductor
23rd June 2014
AV2312
£17.99 (3 CDs deluxe) | 40% discount (usual price £29.99)
Summary:
“The opera’s structure comes across with epic force thanks to David Parry’s stylistically assured conducting…Sian Davies sings with temperament and consistency, not least in her ringing top notes… Darren Jeffery uses his warm bass to commanding effect.” ★★★★ – Financial Times
“Sian Davies’s Anna, Caitlin Hulcup’s Calbo and Darren Jeffrey’s Maometto supply vital vocalism. David Parry’s stylish conducting provides momentum, though the open-air sound is so-so.” – Gramophone
“Parry and his energetic orchestra keep everything going at a lick, and Caitlin Hulcup as Anna’s Venetian fiancé, Darren Jeffery as the seductive Maometto and Paul Nilon as the pompous Venetian Doge all make sterling contributions. This is a rousing reading of a score that demonstrates the “serious” side of Rossini.” ★★★★★ – The Daily Telegraph
“Paul Nilon is the utterly committed, luckless Venetian commander Erisso, Siân Davies radiant as his daughter Anna, Darren Jeffery a bluff Maometto and Caitlin Hulcup after an uncertain start becomes in some ways the most interesting person – character developed through sheer bel canto technique.” – Opera Now
Garsington Opera, celebrating its 25th anniversary season in June-July 2014, releases its first commercially available recording, the rare Rossini opera Maometto secondo. Recorded live at Garsington Opera’s universally acclaimed 2013 performances – the first-ever fully staged production of Maometto secondo in the UK – the 3-CD set is stylishly packaged in a 100-page hardbound book, complete with synopsis, essay and libretto in Italian with English translations.
Set in the 15th century, Rossini’s hugely ambitious undertaking depicts the Turkish Sultan Maometto’s siege of the Venetian outpost of Negroponte and his ultimate defeat. The superb international cast is led by the suitably menacing bass-baritone Darren Jeffery in the title role, with American soprano Siân Davies in her European debut as his anguished daughter Anna, Australian mezzo Caitlin Hulcup as the general Calbo, and tenor Paul Nilon as the Venetian Governor. The assured baton of David Parry conducting the Garsington Opera Orchestra and Chorus highlights the brilliant and dramatic score.
This outstanding release mirrors Garsington Opera’s exceptional artistic standards presented in the spectacular, award-winning Pavilion, set in the extraordinarily beautiful Buckinghamshire countryside.
Tracklist:
GIOACHINO ROSSINI (1792–1868)
Maometto II (Maometto secondo)
Opera in two acts
Libretto by Cesare della Valle
CD1 (60.44)
ACT I.
1. Introduzione, “Al tuo cenno”
2. Recitativo, “Volgon due lune or già”
3. “Risponda a te primiero”
4. Recitativo, “Basta, non più”
5. “Sì, giuriam!”
6. Recitativo, “Or partite, o guerrieri”
7. “Ah! che invan su questo”
8. Recitativo, “Figlia!…Chi veggio!”
9. Scena prima del Terzettone, “No, tacer non deggio”
10. Terzettone, “Ohimè! Qual fulmine”
11. “Dal cor l’iniquo affetto”
12. Coro, “Misere! or dove”
13. “Giusto cielo, in tal periglio”
14. “Ahi, padre!… Oh vista!”
15. “Figlia… mi lascia, deh!”
16. “Mira, signor, quel pianto”
17. “Partiam, guerrieri…”
18. Coro, “Dal ferro”
19. “Sorgete, sorgete”
20. “Duce di tanti eroi”
CD2 (53:28)
1. Recitativo, “Compiuta ancor del tutto la vittoria non è”
2. Recitativo, “Appressatevi, o prodi”
3. Finale primo, “Giusto ciel”
4. “Guardie, olà”
5. “Ritrovo l’amante”
6. “Rendimi il padre”
7. Coro, “È follia sul fior degli anni”
ACT II.
8. Recitativo, “Tacete. Ahimè!”
9. Duetto, “Anna, tu piangi?”
10. “Lieta innocente”
11. “Gli estremi accenti”
12. Recitativo dopo il Duetto, “Ma qual tumulto ascolto?” – Scena II, “Signor, non liete nuove io reco”
13. “Ah che più tardi ancor?” – No.8 – Aria Maometto, “A che più tardi ancor?”
14. Andante mosso, “Dell’ontà”
CD3 (54:11)
1. Scena III, “Sieguimi, o Calbo”
2. No. 9 – Aria Calbo, “Non temer”
3. Scena IV, “Padre…Qual voce!”
4. No.10 – Terzettino, “In questi estremi istanti”
5. No.11 – Scena e Coro, “Alfin compita”
6. Andante, “Nume, cui ’l sole”
7. Recitativo, “Taccion le preci omai”
8. No.12 – Finale secondo, “Sventurata!”
9. Recitativo, “Vinto i Veneti han dunque?”
10. Andantino, “Quella morte”
11. Allegro, “Sì, ferite”
12. Andantino, “Madre, a te”
13. Scena ultimo, “Già fra le tombe?”
Recorded live at Garsington Opera at Wormsley, June and July 2013
Recording Producer: Michael Haas
Recording Engineers: Jonathan Stokes, Neil Hutchinson, & Christopher Roberts, Classic Sound Ltd
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