Sarà Talamo

Andromeda Liberata is a serenata, or two-part ceremonial cantata with a hint of allegorical storyline, given in Venice on September 18, 1726, in honor of visiting Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni. Most early eighteenth century works of this type are so courtly, genteel, and refined that often their common destiny is to languish and gather dust on the shelves of some archive rather than be promoted and performed. Andromeda Liberata is an exception in that parts of it are traceable to the pen of one Antonio Vivaldi, whose varied and outstanding contribution to other types of works, including opera, are well noted elsewhere. Vivaldi, however, is not solely responsible for the score; although the musicological jury is still out on many sections contained within Andromeda Liberata, among the suspect roster may be found other prominent names (Tomaso Albinoni, Nicola Porpora, and Antonio Lotti) and some lesser ones (Giovanni Porta and Antonino Biffi).

Everything –- music, conductor, orchestra and soloists –- converge harmoniously to make this an exceptionally beautiful performance, to return to again and again. The naturalness, the effortlessness, and the joyfulness of this production are inescapable. Contrary to the dramatic subject matter, the most beautiful numbers have a golden, lambent quality ('Con dolce mormorio' in the Second Part) that made me think of the gentle murmur of bees among flowers. The singers are wonderfully selected for contrasting timbres, but all have consistent musicality. The leads, soprano Kermes and the counter tenor Cencic, are especially delightful in their duet. A pleasure in every way, regardless of who composed this music.
By J. Chiu (Washington, DC)

Francesco Cavalli is one of the main baroque opera composers of the XVIIth Century. His music is full of passion, dissonances, beauty, joy, torment… And the ensemble of La Galanía, leaded by theorbo player Jesús Fernández Baena and soprano Raquel Andueza, has compiled a selection of his most wonderful arias and duets for soprano and alto, creating themselves their own small play, Miracolo d’Amore, a love and betrayal story between the two singers.