Vivaldi: Orlando Furioso
For those with any interest in Vivaldi's operas Orlando Furioso is essential viewing being
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a 1989 San Francisco Opera revival by Pier Luigi Pizzi of his own 1979 production which was largely responsible for beginning modern interest in Vivaldi's stage ...
being a 1989 San Francisco Opera revival by Pier Luigi Pizzi of his own 1979 production which was largely responsible for beginning modern interest in Vivaldi's stage work. The composer first premiered Orlando finto pazzo in 1714, but the Orlando Furioso finalised in 1727 was so heavily reworked as to be virtually an entirely new opera, and so successful Handel set the same epic poem by Aristo under the title Alcina in 1735. Vivaldi's opera is not of that calibre, offering rather too much functional recitative and only a handful of truly memorable arias. However, the cast perform with such commitment and style as to make the work thoroughly enjoyable. It is a tale of romantic and magical intrigue on a small island, inevitably echoing Shakespeare's The Tempest, and the classically elegant set-design and colourful costumes evoke a suitable sense of fantasy. Mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne makes the title role her own while Susan Patterson is a characterful and strong-minded Angelica. William Matteuzzi makes a sympathetic Medoro, notably outmanoeuvred in love, while as the sorceress Alcina Kathleen Kuhlann is a appropriately complex and powerful in revealing the loneliness at the heart of her corruption. On the DVD: There are no features other than the two trailers which appear on almost all Arthaus releases. The production is presented in the original television 4:3 and the image is little better than a good video. The picture is not especially detailed and too often the performer's faces are slightly out of focus while the sets are pin-sharp. Overall the image suffers the usual problems from originally being shot on professional video, in addition to which some compression artefacting is noticeable. The prologic sound is fine, though appears simply to down mix the main stereo signal to the rear channel and the result is more accurate if switched to straight stereo. --Gary S Dalkin
a 1989 San Francisco Opera revival by Pier Luigi Pizzi of his own 1979 production which was largely responsible for beginning modern interest in Vivaldi's stage work. The composer first premieredOrlando finto pazzoin 1714, but theOrlando Furiosofinalised in 1727 was so heavily reworked as to be virtually an entirely new opera, and so successful Handel set the same epic poem by Aristo under the titleAlcinain 1735. Vivaldi's opera is not of that calibre, offering rather too much functional recitative and only a handful of truly memorable arias.However, the cast perform with such commitment and style as to make the work thoroughly enjoyable. It is a tale of romantic and magical intrigue on a small island, inevitably echoing Shakespeare'sThe Tempest, and the classically elegant set-design and colourful costumes evoke a suitable sense of fantasy. Mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne makes the title role her own while Susan Patterson is a characterful and strong-minded Angelica. William Matteuzzi makes a sympathetic Medoro, notably outmanoeuvred in love, while as the sorceress Alcina Kathleen Kuhlann is a appropriately complex and powerful in revealing the loneliness at the heart of her corruption.On the DVD:There are no features other than the two trailers which appear on almost all Arthaus releases. The production is presented in the original television 4:3 and the image is little better than a good video. The picture is not especially detailed and too often the performer's faces are slightly out of focus while the sets are pin-sharp. Overall the image suffers the usual problems from originally being shot on professional video, in addition to which some compression artefacting is noticeable. The prologic sound is fine, though appears simply to down mix the main stereo signal to the rear channel and the result is more accurate if switched to straight stereo. --Gary S Dalkin
Orchestra / Ensemble(s): Modo Antiquo Choir; Coro da Camera Italiano
Date of Release: 02/06/2008
Label / Distributor: CPO / Select
Pieces in Set: 3
Genre(s): Stage works
Stereo: Stereo
SPAR Code: DDD
EAN: 761203709526
Catalogue Number: 777
Work 1
Work Title: Orlando (Furioso), RV728
Excerpt(s): 1. Nel profondo cieco mondo (Act 1, scene 5) 2. Sol da te, mio dolce amore 3. ACT 2 - Sorge l'irato nembo 4. ACT 3 - Fonti di pianto 5. Piangeró sinché l' onda 6. Ah sleale, ah spergiura (Act 2, scene 15) 7. Io ti getto elmo, ed usbergo (Act 2, scene 15) 8. Cara sposa 9. Porta il sol del tuo sembiante (Act 1, Scene 11)
Advantages: Classic Concertos for Everybody Disadvantages: Strings only!!!no woodwind...boo!
...The Four Seasons by Vivaldi
Made famous by countless car adverts and Nigel Kennedy at the Albert Hall amongst other places. This has got to the piece that all fiddle player long to play and solo in!
My first exposure to this came when I was seven, we had a hat making competition at school, the Hat Parade, and dad suggested making a musical hat and came up with the Four Seasons which was a favourite of mine as a youngster. Mum and me made the hat, which turned out to be a master piece in the end (for a 7 year old anyway!) and I won first place! I was fixed with Vivaldi for a long time after!
Even a novice in classical music would recognise some of the notation!
Vivaldi composed in Vienna, and was born 1678 and died in 1741.
In these times, most music was composed and performed by telling a story and acting and dance were very...
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Advantages: vivid, passionate and entirely against type. Totally first class Disadvantages: the foldout CD is bizarre!
...Before I go any further, I would like to express an extremely large THANK YOU to my dear friend Teresa, also known as zerbine28, who is not only a most friendly lady, but also an erudite and knowledgeable writer in her own right, far moreso than I could ever hope to be. It is she who so marvellously provided me with this CD, a gesture which goes far beyond the shelling out of $18 for the purchase of the music. So, in return, I say you all go out and at least read some of her reviews on my behalf. Thanks a bunch, Teresa!
Anyhow, we've all heard Antonio Vivaldi's Four Seasons, at least in some form. There always excerpts of them playing on the TV commercials, or something equally innocuous. This is usually accompanied by a sonorous voice announcing "Gainsborough's Furniture ? your first choice in elegant furnishings and accessories...
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...The Four Seasons
Composer: Antonio Vivaldi
Performers: Nigel Kennedy
Members of the British Philharmonic Orchestra
Label: Emi Classics
Released: October 27th 2003
Price: £13.99
Availability: Most good record shops
The Cover: Kennedy
Antonio Vivaldi was born in Venice in 1678, the son of a violinist. Vivaldi composed during the late Baroque period. He is an instrumentalist composer predominantly of Concertos writing a total of 500.The concerto is a musical form wherein a solo instrument is set against a larger group. More than half of Vivaldis concertos are for the solo violin.
1. Concerto For Two Violins, Strings & Continuo In A Minor, Op. 3 No.8
This Violin concerto was the eighth part of a set that Vivaldi published in 1712. He entitled the set L’Estro Armonico (Musical Fancy). The concertos were in written...
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helpful 14.05.2004
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