Marracash È Finita LA Pace

The RCOC is an independent operatic ensemble performing on period instruments, created by the conductor and musicologist Juan Bautista Otero and the stage producer Isidro Olmo. It focuses its activity on the rediscovery of the musical heritage related to Spain and the old Bolurbon kingdoms in Italy during the 18th century, specially concerning the music for the stage of the Neapolitan operatic masters as David Pérez, Domingo Terradellas, Domenico Scarlatti, Mariana Martínez or Martín y Soler as commissioned by the great castrato Farinelli. This is clearly a project close to Juan Bautista Otero's heart, and one that he has been associated with since 1998.

La straniera was Bellini's fourth opera, first performed at La Scala in February 1829. During the composer's lifetime, and for a few years after his death in 1835, it enjoyed considerable international success, though contemporary reviewers were sometimes hostile, criticising its lack of set-piece arias and complaining of the 'continual interruptions' to the musical line. It is this that strikes the modern listener as one of the most interesting aspects of the score. Bellini was experimenting with something, if not exactly through-composed, then sacrificing vocal fireworks for the sake of the dramatic structure.(The Gramophone)

The four concerti in The Four Seasons of Antonio Vivaldi have probably earned the distinction of being the most frequently recorded classical works in the digital era. Originally published as part of a set of 12 concerti as Vivaldi's Opus 8, the other eight concerti also get some attention, particularly La tempesta di mare, but the set as a whole is comparatively seldom recorded. In Europa Galante's Virgin Classics release, Vivaldi: Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione, violinist Fabio Biondi, who has recorded The Four Seasons at least once before for Opus 111, leads his expert ensemble in the whole of the Opus 8 set.

La straniera was Bellini’s fourth opera, first performed at La Scala in February 1829. During the composer’s lifetime, and for a few years after his death in 1835, it enjoyed considerable international success, though contemporary reviewers were sometimes hostile, criticising its lack of set-piece arias and complaining of the “continual interruptions” to the musical line. It is this that strikes the modern listener as one of the most interesting aspects of the score.

Bellinis rare Oper "La Straniera" entstand unter großem Zeitdruck und kann deshalb nicht die dramatische Wirkung entfalten, wie es etwa "Norma" tut. Auch ist das Libretto nicht das Beste. Dennoch findet sich hier viel zauberhafte, mitreißende Musik, sodass sich die Anschaffung besonders für den Liebhaber lohnt. Diese Aufnahme hier einer (konzertanten?) Aufführung von 1969 profitiert vor allem von einer jungen Montserrat Caballe, die einfach alles gibt. Der Klang ist nicht perfekt, etwas dumpf und unscharf in den Höhen, aber auf jeden fall noch hörbar.