Roberto Ritossa

On 7th February 1857, after a delay of one year due to problems of copyright on a possible production of King Lear, Verdi accepted and signed a new agreement with the Teatro di San Carlo of Naples for an opera to be staged in January or February 1858. Not long after he had put behind the experiences of Simon Boccanegra (June 1857) and Aroldo (August), Verdi, then, had to face the issue of a new subject for Naples, which would no longer be King Lear, discarded for various reasons, and not even El tesorero del Rey by António García Gutiérrez or Ruy Blas by Hugo, to which he had given more serious thought, but Gustave III by Eugène Scribe, a play written in 1833 for Daniel Auber in which the king of Sweden is assassinated, in 1792, by a group of noblemen led by Jacob Ankarström. The composition of the score, between October 1857 and January 1858, went hand in hand with Verdi’s complex relationship with the Neapolitan censors, who would end up distorting the libretto and unnerving the composer to the point that he ended up refusing to stage the opera and breaking his agreement with the theatre.

The Goldberg Variations are the most complex of J. S. Bach’s works from a technical point of view. All the harpsichord’s technical and expressive resources are thoroughly explored and used to great effect. The complexity, imagination, richness of ideas and internal references that animate this work make it a monumental piece of immeasurable depth. The instrument that Roberto Loreggian plays for this recording is a copy of a harpsichord made by Michael Mietke in the early years of the 18th century; exchanges between the maker and Bach are historically documented. Consequently, Loreggian is able to fully convey the complexity of this legendary work. An outstanding scholar in organ and harpsichord performance, Loreggian has appeared at some of the most important international music venues and at renowned festivals. Both as soloist and accompanist, he has collaborated with numerous performers and orchestras, recording his performances on several music labels and receiving praise from music critics, in addition to several awards.

Composers of the 20th and 21st centuries have done much to explore the flute's sonorities in all their variety, from virtuosity and lyricism to more robust, percussive qualities. The works on 'The Whirlwind Within', conceived and performed by Spanish flautist Roberto Álvarez and Ukrainian pianist Kseniia Vokhmianina, embrace these facets of the flute, combining its naturally melodic capabilities with innovative techniques.

The Mozarteumorchester Salzburg looks back on a history of more than 180 years. It was founded in 1841 with the involvement of Constanze Mozart. Today it enjoys a worldwide reputation for its lively and purposeful Mozart interpretations. Its permanent guest conductors include Constantinos Carydis, Andrew Manze, and the Spanish conductor and violinist Roberto González-Monjas. They all contribute to the orchestra's ability to constantly regroup and align itself for the repertoire at hand. Of course, the constant preoccupation with the classical period is part of the formative element, but in the meantime the orchestra is also appreciated for interpretations of the music of the 19th/20th and 21st centuries. Together with the Berlin Classics label, the Mozarteumorchester Salzburg will embark on an exciting journey starting in August 2023. With six album releases planned through 2025, the orchestra will be able to show its full range and passion for playing.

Retrouvez les grands standards de la musique sud-américaine interprétés par Roberto Alagna, enregistrés dans le cadre exceptionnel de l’Opéra Royal de Versailles. Une extraordinaire promenade dans le boléro cubain, la ranchera mexicaine et le tango argentin et pas question de dénaturer ces chansons auxquelles il est très attaché car « ces chansons ont toujours fait partie de ma vie ». En préservant l’authenticité de ces morceaux, notamment grâce à des arrangements qualifiés d’ethniques » par Yvan Cassar, mais sans hésiter à secouer des standards comme « La Cumparsita », Roberto Alagna explore ce répertoire avec lequel il a une proximité instinctive.

The first complete recording of the keyboard works of Andrea Gabrieli (1532-1585), one of the most famous and influential composers of the late Renaissance and the most important representative of the Venetian School. A native of Venice, he went to Germany to study with Lassus. Later he became organist of the famous San Marco in Venice, the most important post in Northern Italy at that moment.

In Raffaele Calace’s considerable musical production – approximately 200 opus numbers – 9 pieces are for solo guitar, obviously not including his single composition for Hawaiian guitar, Piccolo fiore op. 168. This statistical datum takes on a greater importance if we consider that Calace’s other solo pieces were all for the two main instruments to which he devoted his existence, the mandolin and the cantabile lute: for these instruments he composed respectively 30 and 26 works, in addition to his handbooks, which are a fundamental point of reference for the modern teaching of these instruments. Nonetheless, it would be a mistake to consider this production unworthy of interest: it shows us the taste and charm of a period, and offers us compositions that are refined and far from commonplace. These pieces convey the emotions and intimacy of the romanticism that could be felt in drawing-room music, during the so-called “periodiche”, the musical gatherings in the Neapolitan middle-class homes. The young guitarist Roberto Guarnieri plays Calace's music on a precious 1936 "Mozzani” guitar part of the collection of the Modenese luthier Lorenzo Frignani.