Customer Reviews

Vivaldi: Operas

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The National Bibliotheque in Turin, Italy is the repository for uncounted manuscripts by Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) and includes more than twenty opera scores, many of which have not seen productions since the 18th century. The Opus 111 record label is industriously releasing performances, about one a season, of these gems and their intention is to record all these scores, plus many arias and ensembles that have become separated from their complete works. This CD is a compilation of music from four of those works - 'La verità in cimento,' 'Juditha triumphans,' 'L'Olimpiade,' and 'Orlando finto pazzo,' all of which have already been recorded as complete operatic performances. The producers of this set have selected some of the choicest morsels for those music-lovers who would not otherwise obtain all four complete sets. The musicians involved - a different group for each opera - are among the most honored among singers and instrumentalists currently performing baroque works. The instrumental groups include the Academia Montis Regalis conducted by Alessandro de Marchi, Concerto Italiano conducted by Rinaldo Alessandrini, and Ensemble Matheus conducted by Jean-Christophe Spinosi. Singers include such standouts as sopranos Marina Comparato, Gemma Bertagnoli, and Roberta Invernizzi, mezzos Magdalena Kozena and Guillemette Laurens, contraltos Sara Mingardo, Nathalie Stutzmann and Sonia Prini, countertenor Philippe Jaroussky, tenor Anthony Rolfe Johnson, and basso Sergio Foresti--an outstanding collection of talented performers.

It would be impossible to comment about all sixteen selections here, but I would want to single out Magdalena Kozena's delectable performance of 'Veni, me sequere fida' from 'Juditha triumphans,' with the luscious solo contribution of an unnamed player of the chalumeau (an ancestor of the modern clarinet). [By the way, 'Juditha triumphans' is actually a dramatic oratorio, but it has sometimes been staged as an opera.] Also outstanding is the dramatic 'Gemo in un punto e fremo' from 'L'Olimpiade,' sung by one of today's stellar contraltos, Sara Mingardo.

Finally, I could not end this note without commenting on the fabulous quintet from 'La verità in cimento' entitled 'Anima mia, mio ben.' There is no question that Vivaldi must have been working with both musically and dramatically superb singers for whom he wrote this. This performance, featuring Rolfe Johnson, Laurens, Stutzmann, Jaroussky and Mingardo, is moving. And it is followed by a simply stunning performance, by Sara Mingardo, of Melindo's aria, 'Mi vuoi tradir, lo so' from the same opera. Mingardo's coloratura is absolutely spot on. (Think of Marilyn Horne and you'll have an idea of what this young Italian contralto sounds like.)

I strongly suspect this release will have value for those who want to dip their toes into the Vivaldian operatic waters. Every single selection is well-done, and it certainly gives an idea of Vivaldi's theatrical output, something that we've tended to neglect in favor of his sacred and instrumental music up to now.

Strongly recommended.

TT=63:20

Scott Morrison

This is as strong a sampler of Vivaldi's operas as one can get without purchasing entire opera recordings. Highlights from four have been selected here, each recorded in complete form on the Naïve label. They are "Orlando finto pazzo", "La verità in cimento", "Juditha triumphans" and "L'Olimpiade". What the producers have chosen here is the true cream of the crop, a roster of superb, top-of-the-class performances from nearly a dozen world-class singers.

Rising countertenor Philippe Jaroussky starts the program off with an almost religious-sounding lament as Zelim from "La verità in cimento", which he sings in a strikingly ethereal manner. But the women rule the roost in this recording. Mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožena makes clear why she is moving quickly to the major leagues by singing two magnificent arias from "Juditha triumphans", "Veni, veni, me sequere fida", caressed by a clarinet-like instrument called a chalumeau, and "Agitata infio flatu", where she captures the sweeping fury of her character with stunning flourish. Contralto Sara Mingardo is another stand-out with her double-dip, full-throated voice dodging the aggressive strings on Licida's aria from "L'Olimpiade", "Gemo in un punto e fremo," and expertly riding the dramatic playing of Ensemble Matheus on Melindo's aria from "La verità in cimento", "Mivui trader, lo so". If not quite in the league of Kožena and Mingardo, soprano Roberta Invernizzi and contralto Sonia Prina acquit themselves admirably with an aria each and especially when they perform the striking duetto of Megacle and Aristea from "L'Olimpiade", "Ne'giorni tuoi felici". There is also an impressive quintetto from "La verità in cimento", "Anima mia, mio ben", which for maximum dramatic impact emphasizes the disparate voices of Jaroussky, Mingardo, tenor Anthony Rolfe Johnson, mezzo-soprano Guillemette Laurens and contralto Nathalie Stutzmann. The disc ends appropriately with a beautiful choral piece, "O quam vaga, venusta, o quam decora" from "Juditha triumphans" with the Coro Giovanile dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, led by soprano Marina Comparato.

Rarely has a compilation disc sounded so seamless and without the additional burden of carrying different story contexts. Aurally it sounds like one consolidated piece, and credit needs to go to music directors Alessandro De Marchi, Rinaldo Alessandrini and Jean-Christophe Spinosi, who conducted the originally presented operas. Strongly recommended especially for neophytes to Vivaldi's operas like myself.

This audio CD is the perfect vehicle to drive anyone crazy about Vivaldi operas. All arias seemed to have been carefully selected across many opera albums from Naive's Vivaldi Edition to entice the listener to hear those works. Magdalena Kozena astounds brilliantly with two arias from Juditha Triumphans "Veni, me sequere fidu" and "Agitata infido flatu". In "Agitata" Kozena perfects two long legatos and tops them with a climatic trill. In "Veni", she hypnotizes with a cadenza evocative of a dove's sinusoidal singing. The Naive label should do well in producing another similar CD now that it has recorded additional Vivaldi Operas to draw from.

Let me add to the applause from the other reviewers for this sampler of Vivaldi operas. This CD was a revelation to me. I was of course familiar with Vivaldi's liturgical and chamber music, but had no idea that the Red Priest wrote so much excellent and varied operatic music, some of it as hauntingly beautiful as anything I have ever heard in 35 years of attending and listening to operas from Handel to Adams, and everything inbetween. I liked this CD so much, I have purchased 3 of the operas featured on it, and will doubtless purchase more.

In my youth, I was told never to sample illicit drugs from the neighborhood dealer, because one puff, or snort, or whatever, could turn you into an addict. I don't know whether that was true or not, but I can say that one listen to this sampler turned me into a Vivaldi opera addict!

P.S. The selections on this CD is not only artistically first rate, but they are skillfully recorded and sound considerably better than the average CD on a high end stereo.

This is a sampler of selections from the operas in the Vivaldi Edition showing off the quality of not only family the performers at Naïve, but what seems to be a whole new approach by Naïve Classics to recording classical music in the high-def digital age. And for those of us who've grown up with the classical music bug, it represents a noticeable advance in how to record classical music.

The performances:

Selections from "L'Olimpiade." Rinaldo Alessandrini and the Concerto Italian. Finesse. Sensuality. Precision. Appropriate tempos. The work he's done with Naïve is the best in his career. The soloists, like all on the Naïve Vivaldi Edition recordings, are some of the finest performers in the history of recorded music. I don't know if it is the conductor or the record producers, but they're pulling technically brilliant and inspired performances out of the singers and capturing them in first-rate, three dimensional recordings. //Selections from "Juditha Triumphans" and "L'Orlando Finto Pazzo." Alessandro De Marchi: Academia Montis Regalis, Santa Cecilia Academy Youth Chorus. Various soloists. Again, brilliant. Another testament to Naïve's sense of design is that from one ensemble to the next, the quality of performance is so consistent it is hard to tell the difference in performances of ensembles.//Selections from "La Verità In Cimento." Jean-Christophe Spinosi: Ensemble Matheus. I am going to have to start inventing new adjectives of praise. Again. Nuanced performances that make you want to buy the complete opera.

What's clear from listening to this and other Naïve CDs is that Vivaldi is getting the rock star treatment. Vivaldi, Handel, Corelli, etc. were crackerjack tunesmiths. They knew how to write a hit song with strong melodic hooks. The conductors and performers get that. And it shows.

The sound:

As good as the performers are, half of why these Naïve Vivaldi recordings sound so delicious is the engineering. I don't know if the same engineers are doing all the Naïve Vivaldi edition recordings, but there is an evenness and consistency to the quality of sound, and it is worth paying for. The vocals are close and warm, but still have a pleasant reverb and presence. The performer's diction is clear, and they are miked properly so you understand every word - every syllable. The balance between soloists and orchestra is spot on. The sound stage is open, detailed, and clear as a whistle. The label is onto something. If that isn't enough, they record is 96khz/24 bit audiophile digital sound. What that means for folks with really good stereo systems is life-like, three-dimensional sound and presence - the next big thing in recorded sound.

A word about the packaging. (And I do use this on all my reviews of Naïve CDs)

Love, love, love it. I've seen comments to the effect that some people don't like it, or find it distracting. For the younger audience. I'm sorry. Naïve is a French company. The people that give us wine, pastry, French cooking, and Paris chic and fashion. The models got my attention, and I suppose the company is out to prove that you can judge a book by it's cover. What this shows the a level of design (something in the French do REALLY well) that carries through every detail of what you take out of the box. The look, the sound, the feel. The liner notes are detailed, readable, and as good as what we used to get back in the vinyl days. (I do wish classical labels would start giving us visually challenged folks .pdf files or a web page we could go to get print big enough to read.) So go ahead, Naïve. You keep putting the models on the covers, giving us booklets we can actually read, and the best Vivaldi recordings on the market.

After they're done with Vivaldi, if there's a God, maybe they'll tackle Handel next.