Cast
Lawrence Brownlee, Jennifer Larmore, Catherine Wyn-Rogers, Mireille
Delunsch, Brindley Sherratt, Mark Wilde, Geoffrey Mitchell Choir.
Malcolm Martineau, piano. |
If
a time-machine could take us back through the centuries, which musical
occasion might we choose to attend? Surely a soire at Rossini's
Parisian home would be high on anyone's list!
After his move
from Italy to Paris in 1855, Rossini would regularly invite some of the
most famous singers of the day to perform at his home. The guest-list
would read like a who's who of the French capital at that time and,
given Rossini's fame, both as gourmet and wit, you could be certain
that the food would be as excellent as the conversation amusing. Then,
of course, there'd be the chance to hear something new by the great
master himself. Although he abandoned operatic composition in 1829,
Rossini went on to compose hundreds of short vocal and piano pieces to
entertain those lucky enough to be invited to these famous Saturday
evening salons.
Featuring soloists including Mireille Delunsch,
Jennifer Larmore, Catherine Wyn-Rogers and Lawrence Brownlee, this
latest release in Opera Rara's Il Salotto series presents a programme
of ravishing songs and ensembles from this period, including the mighty
Le Chant des Titans, in which the giants threaten the god Jupiter,
performed by soloists from the Geoffrey Mitchell Choir. The Royal Opera
House's Renato Balsadonna is Chorus Director with accompaniments from
Malcolm Martineau on piano and Nicholas Bosworth on harmonium.
The
disc is accompanied by Opera Rara's usual gorgeous, generous and
colourful booklet and the introduction and notes to the songs are by
writer and Rossini specialist, Richard Osborn |
