Vivaldi L'incoronazione di Dario

'L’incoronazione di Dario' must be considered one of Vivaldi’s most successful operas. Immediately opening with exceptional arias, it moves at a rapid pace, holding the listener’s attention throughout. Recitatives are interspersed with arioso interludes and there no less than eight 'big' numbers sure to join the ranks of 'Vivaldi’s best opera arias'. The excellent cast acts out this drama with conviction: Anders Dahlin’s sings Dario, with impeccable intonation and stunning coloratura passages; Sara Mingardo, as Statira, brings great depth and beauty, most especially in her Act 2 solo Cantata accompanied only by viola da gamba.

Nel vastissimo catalogo delle opere di Antonio Vivaldi (circa 1.000 numeri considerando le appendici), la musica da camera rappresenta una parte non considerevole e, probabilmente, una delle meno note rispetto alla frequentatissima produzione concertistica e sacra, a cui si è agggiunta, negli ultimi anni, quella operistica. Per quest'ultima si pensi, ad esempio, alle recenti produzioni dell'etichetta "Naive" o alle arie d'opera riscoperte e magistralmente eseguite in forma di concerto da Cecilia Bartoli.

The cast is the best we could possible want for Vivaldi nowadays: Ottavio Dantone's skilfull conducting brings the best out of this orchestral enchantment. Sara Mingardo brings her classy voice and remarkable stage presence to the role of the naive Statira. Delphine Galou’s bright tone and excellent agility combine with perfect diction. Roberta Mameli's crystal clear notes make of the role of Alinda a masterpiece of expressivity. Octavio Dantone is an Italian conductor and harpsichordist who is particularly noted for his performances of Baroque music. He has served as the Music Director of the Accademia Bizantina in Ravenna since 1996.

This box set gathers the finest vocal recordings (opera, sacred music) from the Vivaldi Edition by some of the most reputed artists of today. Also it features the main vocal ranges: soprano, mezzo-soprano, contralto, tenor, bass.

During the Carnival of Venice in 1637, a play ‘rappresentata in musica’ was opened to the public for the first time – a success. Opera was born and spread like wildfire. Venice had the largest number of theatres in the world. In 1677, the Teatro Sant’Angelo opened its doors on the campo of the same name. Tiny, chaotic, cheap and extremely productive, it was renowned for its musicians and its sets. This effervescence owes much to the figure of Vivaldi who, from 1705 onwards, regularly premiered his operas there and acted (with his father) as impresario.

This survey of Vivaldi kicks off with a gutsy yet articulate performance of the Concerto for two trumpets RV 537, featuring flamboyant playing from soloists Andrea Di Mario and Jonathan Pia; it serves as a thrilling overture that leads directly into the spectacular trumpet-laden aria ‘Con palme ed allori’ from Teuzzone (which features some extraordinary embellishments by Kristina Hammarström). A broad range of Vivaldi’s theatrical output for Venice, Mantua and Verona is represented by a pleasingly varied selection of six arias from four different operas and another two arias by Giacomelli from the pasticcio Bajazet (including the striking lament ‘Sposa son disprezzata’, perhaps the recital’s sentimental highlight).

Due at least in part to Naïve's growing catalogue of exemplary recordings of the relatively obscure operas of Antonio Vivaldi, more and more singers are happily turning to his vast operatic output as a source of new material. Czech mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kozená brings an earthy emotionality to this selection of arias that is weighted toward the ravishingly lyrical, but which also includes the floridly virtuosic.

The first DIVOX production with the "Virtuosi delle Muse" is devoted to Vivaldi's opera oeuvre. It presents Vivaldi's opera overtures not only in a form that incorporates the latest findings of Vivaldi research, but also in a new sound interpretation: thanks to a variety of tone colors, a wealth of orchestral articulations, and dynamics that are clear and rich in contrast, these overtures strikingly convey the action and atmosphere of the stage work they precede – whereby they date from a time when the "overture" did not yet exist as an acoustical preview of the operatic plot. The use of original instruments such as the viola d'amore, which was never again used in the context of Vivaldi's operas, is also an innovation in the present-day performance practice of Vivaldi's works.

Recorded in 2002, this release contains a unique program of the complete overtures of all Vivaldi’s operas. As an opera composer, Vivaldi has long been neglected, but these works showcase his great dramatic genius. Performances on period instruments by Modo Antiquo, conducted by Federico Maria Sardelli, one of the foremost specialists in this field, who has also recorded for full price labels such as Naïve and Deutsche Grammophon.

A disc which will delight both Vivaldi enthusiasts and lovers of Baroque music generally. Excellent recorded sound and strongly recommended on all counts.