Nicola Dinan

Après la réussite du projet en piano solo Migrants, Nicola Sergio revient avec un envoûtant projet, Cilea mon amour, 4ème album à son nom produit par le label milanais NAU Records, après les trois premiers signés avec Challenge Records Int. L'album est une relecture des plus célèbres Airs d'Opéras (Arlésienne, Adriana Lecouvreur, Gloria) du compositeur italien Francesco Cilea (1866-1950), qui ont été chantés dans les théâtres du monde entier par les plus célèbres chanteurs d'opéras (Pavarotti, Callas, Carrera, Domingo…). Une vraie révélation.

One word unites the works on this album, and that word is 'ethereal'. The soundworld of English composer Sir John Tavener is often described as 'ethereal'; possessing an other-worldly, spiritual quality that strikes deep into the soul. And Ralph Vaughan Williams's aural portrait of that blithe little lark as it spirals up into the heavens is indeed an ethereal vision.

By any reckoning this is a most impressive debut recording. Nicola Benedetti, since becoming BBC Young Artist of the Year last May, has won a major contract with DG. Born in Scotland of Italian stock, she studied at the Menuhin School before deciding at 15— against advice — to study on her own and then with a new teacher, Maciej Rakowski. Her firmness has certainly paid off. At 17 she displays in each of these items the temperament, concentration and imagination of a great artist in the making, quite apart from her virtuoso technique. The centrepiece is the Szymanowski First Violin Concerto, the work she played in the final of the BBC competition, and the passion of her performance is remarkable, even suggesting a parallel with the young du Pre. Daniel Harding draws intense playing from the LSO and the impact of the performance is heightened by the relatively close balance of soloist and orchestra, hitting home very hard in the exotic climaxes.

An outstanding Italian musican, Stefano Demicheli has been René Jacobs' closest assistant for many years and with him has performed on Europe's main opera stages. A distinguished harpsichordist, who studied with Ottavio Dantone, he is now the leader of the Dolce & Tempesta ensemble, consisting of the best soloists from the European period instrument ensembles.This new recording on Fuga Libera gives us the world première of the three Notturni composed c.1740 by Porpora, Handel's strongest rival in London, for the All Souls Day in Naples. Carried by one of the most powerfully expressive texts in the Christian canon, this is an opportunity to hear two stunning soloists: Monica Piccinini and Romina Basso and also the Stagione Armonica of Padova.