Belcanto

This is the second New Series album to feature the Stuttgart-based Ensemble Belcanto. Where its 2001 predecessor focused on contemporary composition by Wolfgang Rihm and others (Come un'ombra di luna), this disc looks at Hildegard of Bingen's Ordo Virtutum, written around 1150 and generally considered the first large-scale musical work beyond the prescribed form of the Mass liturgy. This is sacred music reflecting Medieval thought, as music and morality play are intertwined. In her creative interpretation, Belcanto leader Dietburg Spohr waives claims to 'objective' historical literalness. Instead, she and her fellow singers encounter the work as if it were written specifically for the Ensemble Belcanto: "We sought to free Hildegard from mystical-esoteric associations and to emphasize the work of an emancipated woman and composer." They have been performing the music of Hildegard von Bingen since the early 1990s, and view her compositions as a joyously experimental bridge between the Middle Ages and contemporary music.

Ensemble L'armonia del Belcanto has dedicated itself to the sacred aspect of bel canto and presents musical renditions of Salve Regina and Ave Maria from this great era. The CD, which includes numerous world premiere recordings, features Heidemarie Roettig, soprano, and Angela Metzger, organ, performing sensitively the touching romantic works from the American-Italian opera scene of the 19th century by Ettore Barili, Maurizio Giannetti and Giuseppe Nicolao. The program is rounded off by the famous Italian opera composers Vincenzo Bellini and Saverio Mercadante.

In this recital of 19th century Italian arias Damrau proves that precision, refinement and controlled intensity of expression – the guiding principles of bel canto (literally, beautiful singing) – apply not only to Bellini and Donizetti, but also in the more explicit passions of their successors, Verdi, Puccini and Leoncavallo. Performing with the Orchestra of the Teatro Regio Torino under Maestro Gianandrea Noseda, and featuring as guests artists Nicolas Testé (Diana Damrau’s husband), Nicole Brandolino and Piotr Beczała, this album sits between two releases of complete recordings of works at the centre of the bel canto canon – Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor (November 2014) and Verdi’s La Traviata (Autumn 2015).

Lena Belkina ist mit ihren jungen Jahren schon eine weltweit gefragte Mezzosopranistin und steht am Anfang einer glänzenden Karriere. Beim renommierten Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro begeisterte sie zuletzt Kritik und Publikum mit phänomenaler Präsenz und ihrer warmen, nuancierten und unverwechselbar farbenreichen Stimme: 'fulminant, strahlend, klangschön' schrieb 'Das Opernglas'. Ins internationale Rampenlicht sang sie sich mit der Live-Verfilmung von Rossinis 'La Cenerentola', die in über 150 Ländern ausgestrahlt wurde. 'Rossini wäre von Lena begeistert gewesen.' (La Stampa)

The debut CD album of Vittorio Prato is dedicated to the art of the great baritone of the past – Antonio Tamburini. This exquisite selection of rare belcanto arias from the operas of the beginning of the XIX century is presented in an elegant edition with booklet notes written by Giancarlo Landini.

At the dawn of the nineteenth century, the guitar was a very widespread instrument, present in courtyards and living rooms.

At the dawn of the 19th century, the guitar was a very widespread instrument both in courtyards and living rooms. Vienna and Paris were cultural centers of great appeal, attracting artists and musicians from all over Europe. The transcription of operatic pieces was a common practice and intended for those who wished to remember, listen to and in some way perform the beautiful pieces heard in the theatres. In this release there are arias and cavatinas by more or less known authors, all linked to the Neapolitan school; the transcriptions were done by François Doisy, Anton Diabelli, Mauro Giuliani, Roger Dias, George Henri Derwort, and many of them are recorded here for the first time. The soprano Alessandra Borin performs this “bel canto” florilegium with an incredible ductility of her vocal technique, accompanied by Alessandro Marchiori playing a copy of the historical guitar Etienne Lapravotte (ca 1830), built by the luthier Gabriele Lodi di Carpi (Modena - Italy).