The Sixteen continues its exploration of Henry Purcell’s Welcome Songs for Charles II. As with Robert King’s pioneering Purcell series begun over thirty years ago for Hyperion, Harry Christophers is recording two Welcome Songs per disc.
In February this year, Albanian soprano Ermonela Jaho made a highly lauded debut recital at Wigmore Hall - a concert which both celebrated Opera Rara’s 50th anniversary and honoured the career of the Italian soprano Rosina Storchio (1872-1945), the star of verismo who created the title roles in Leoncavallo’s La bohème and Zazà, Mascagni’s Lodoletta and Puccini’s Madama Butterfly.
Collapsology. Or, perhaps we should use the French word ‘Collapsologie’ because this is a transdisciplinary idea pretty much advocated by a series of French theorists - and apparently, mostly French theorists. It in essence focuses on the imminent collapse of modern society and all its layers - a series of escalating crises on a global scale: environmental, economic, geopolitical, governmental; the list is extensive.
Amongst an avalanche of new Mahler recordings appearing at the moment (Das Lied von der Erde seems to be the most favoured, with three) this 1991 Mahler Second from the 2nd Kassel MahlerFest is one of the more interesting releases.
If there is one myth, it seems believed by some people today, that probably needs shattering it is that post-war recordings or performances of Wagner operas were always of exceptional quality. This 1949 Hamburg Tristan und Isolde is one of those recordings - though quite who is to blame for its many problems takes quite some unearthing.
The voices of six women composers are celebrated by baritone Jeremy Huw Williams and soprano Yunah Lee on this characteristically ambitious and valuable release by Lontano Records Ltd (Lorelt).
As Paul Spicer, conductor of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Chamber Choir, observes, the worship of the Blessed Virgin Mary is as ‘old as Christianity itself’, and programmes devoted to settings of texts which venerate the Virgin Mary are commonplace.
Ethel Smyth’s last large-scale work, written in 1930 by the then 72-year-old composer who was increasingly afflicted and depressed by her worsening deafness, was The Prison – a ‘symphony’ for soprano and bass-baritone soloists, chorus and orchestra.
‘Hamilton Harty is Irish to the core, but he is not a musical nationalist.’
‘After silence, that which comes closest to expressing the inexpressible is music.’ Aldous Huxley’s words have inspired VOCES8’s new disc, After Silence, a ‘double album in four chapters’ which marks the ensemble’s 15th anniversary.
A song-cycle is a narrative, a journey, not necessarily literal or linear, but one which carries performer and listener through time and across an emotional terrain. Through complement and contrast, poetry and music crystallise diverse sentiments and somehow cohere variability into an aesthetic unity.
One of the nicest things about being lucky enough to enjoy opera, music and theatre, week in week out, in London’s fringe theatres, music conservatoires, and international concert halls and opera houses, is the opportunity to encounter striking performances by young talented musicians and then watch with pleasure as they fulfil those sparks of promise.
“It’s forbidden, and where’s the art in that?”
Dublin-born John F. Larchet (1884-1967) might well be described as the father of post-Independence Irish music, given the immense influenced that he had upon Irish musical life during the first half of the 20th century - as a composer, musician, administrator and teacher.
The English Civil War is raging. The daughter of a Puritan aristocrat has fallen in love with the son of a Royalist supporter of the House of Stuart. Will love triumph over political expediency and religious dogma?
Beethoven Symphony no 9 (the Choral Symphony) in D minor, Op. 125, and the Choral Fantasy in C minor, Op. 80 with soloist Kristian Bezuidenhout, Pablo Heras-Casado conducting the Freiburger Barockorchester, new from Harmonia Mundi.
A Louise Brooks look-a-like, in bobbed black wig and floor-sweeping leather trench-coat, cheeks purple-rouged and eyes shadowed in black, Barbara Hannigan issues taut gestures which elicit fire-cracker punch from the Mahler Chamber Orchestra.
‘Signor Piatti in a fantasia on themes from Beatrice di Tenda had also his triumph. Difficulties, declared to be insuperable, were vanquished by him with consummate skill and precision. He certainly is amazing, his tone magnificent, and his style excellent. His resources appear to be inexhaustible; and altogether for variety, it is the greatest specimen of violoncello playing that has been heard in this country.’
Baritone Roderick Williams seems to have been a pretty constant ‘companion’, on my laptop screen and through my stereo speakers, during the past few ‘lock-down’ months.
Melodramas can be a difficult genre for composers. Before Richard Strauss’s Enoch Arden the concept of the melodrama was its compact size – Weber’s Wolf’s Glen scene in Der Freischütz, Georg Benda’s Ariadne auf Naxos and Medea or even Leonore’s grave scene in Beethoven’s Fidelio.
Clearly someone at Naxos loves Rossini. The label only recently released a good Cenerentola with the most excellent Joyce Di Donato, and the back catalog contains many titles, including highly praised sets of Barbieri (with Ramon Vargas) and Tancredi (featuring Ewa Podles).
Many of these operas have been recorded live. This latest set, Il Turco in Italia, comes from October 2003, and though the back cover of the CD identifies the recording location as the Teatro Marrucino, no audience is heard. However, the aural perspective suggests a live recording, not a studio affair with its more pristine balance.
An understandable misconception places Il Turco as a companion piece, even sequel, to the more popular L’Italiana in Algieri. In truth, the libretto for Turco predates Rossini’s L’Italiana, and the operas share no characters. Turco’s wild, almost modern plot device centers on a poet watching the interactions of the natives of Naples with a Turkish prince, and gathering material for his next play. The romantic complications verge on the chaotic; unsurprisingly, all are resolved for an extended ensemble finale.
Turco may lack an aria or two of a melodic distinction that would make the opera a more frequently performed part of the repertory, but that is not to say that the score is lesser Rossini. It bubbles and percolates with wit, and it has delightfully odd set pieces for variety, such as the act one choral number, “Voga, voga, a terra, a terra.” That piece even features a string accompaniment that resembles the opening of Smetana’s wandering Moldau.
Naxos has a energetic, skillful crew of musicians and singers for its recording. The Teatro Marrucino forces, led by Marzio Conti, may sound a bit thin in the overture, but as support for the singers, they embody all the fun of the score.
Natale de Carolis gets top billing, as Selim, the Turkish prince. His biographical note in the booklet suggests he had a burgeoning career in the late ‘80s, early ‘90s, including a Mozart Figaro at the Metropolitan Opera. His voice retains a charismatic quality, while also showing evidence of wear. Myrto Papatanasiu, whose career began more recently, sings the soprano role of Donna Fiorilla. She doesn’t overplay Fiorilla’s shrewishness, but the opera being a comedy, a touch more color wouldn’t be out of place. Other than that, she uses her appealing voice to fine effect.
In other roles, Amadeo Moretti’s sharp-edged and high-lying tenor makes a good impression singing as Don Narciso (what a tenor character name!), and baritone Massimiliano Gagliardo brings a solid technique to the role of Fiorella’s put-upon spouse.
The booklet has a very brief note on the opera and then a track by track synopsis, along with artists’ notes, all offered only in English. The booklet offers a weblink for an Italian libretto. How much help that will be to non-Italian speaking listeners is questionable.
The Turco recording catalog is not extensive. The Callas recording does not seem to be available at the moment; her admirers will surely be undeterred by that inconvenience. However, the 1998 Decca recording, winner of a Gramophone award, can still be found. Still at full price, the set boasts the leadership of Ricardo Chailly and Cecilia Bartoli’s Fiorella. Miss Bartoli also appears in a recent DVD from Zurich, and she starred in a Covent Garden production last season that earned rave notices.
So perhaps Il Turco in Italia is on the comeback trail. For those who prefer to save a few dollars but who would like to know the opera better, this Naxos set has fortuitously appeared.
Chris Mullins
Los Angeles Unified School District, Secondary Literacy