Vivaldi: Orlando Furioso

Coro da Camera Italiano, Modo Antiquo, Sardelli, Federico Maria, soliści

CPO 777095

After Arsilda and Tito Manlio we are now releasing Orlando furioso, one of Vivaldi's most important operas. Once again we have obtained the services of an excellent ensemble of vocal soloists and the Italian conductor Federico Maria Sardelli, who leads his prizewinning and temperamental Modo Antiquo baroque orchestra in this performance on historical instruments. Vivaldi composed his highly expressive opera in 1727 for the Teatro di Sant' Angelo in Venice. The story goes back to the epic of the same name by Ludovico Ariosto, is set on the island ruled by the sorceress Alcina, and tells of Orlando's unhappy love for Angelica. Once again the score, surely numbering among the all-time masterpieces in the history of music theater, exhibits an unusual wealth of color and great variety in its effects. Its extraordinary quality is also reflected in the manifoldness and richness of the dramatic structure. The many choruses, arias, and recitatives figure significantly in the overall action, and so do Orlando's major solo scenes, which are of an astonishing modernity. The highlights include Orlando's »Nel profondo« and his raging symbolic aria »Sorge l'irato nembo. « How strange it is indeed that this entertaining and virtuoso opera did not begin to be rediscovered until the 1970s!

CD x 3

CPO

13/05/2008

761203709526