Valeria la Grotta - La Flora (1628) - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Right from his debut works, Paisiello distinguished himself in the operatic scene of his time for his ability to render the peculiarities of his characters in music, thus making it an essential ingredient for the effectiveness of comedy.In La Claudia vendicata, this ability is fully developed, and with a minimum of musical writing effort, the author achieves the maximum result in terms of theatricality. From Venetian opera composers Paisiello absorbs the art of alternating arias for the same character that are now comic, now languid and pathetic.

Acis et Galatée is acknowledged as one of Lully's finest masterpieces. This recording from the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino is conducted by the early music specialist Federico Maria Sardelli, and features tenor Jean-François Lombard and soprano Elena Harsányi in the principal roles. Also available on Dynamic Blu-ray (57971) and DVD (37971).

?The lyrics of the eleven scenes of Amor vendicato are technically accomplished and facilitate the singers' task. Indeed, librettist Antonio di Gennaro was one of the best of his kind in Naples in the second half of the 18th century. The simple plot celebrates the triumph of love in the character Amore whose revenge for being mocked by Apollo is to make him fall for Dafne, whose faithfulness to her true love Alceo leads her to fight off Apollo's efforts. In Ovid's version of the fable, Daphne changes into a laurel to escape but the librettist puts a decidedly 18th century spin on the Classical original, giving the leading characters a markedly galante air and so making a connection with the audience of the ladies and knights of the Academy. Apollo's flattery, Dafne's refusals, Alceo's uncertainty and Amore's plotting, (with a pretence to be Aminta the hunter), never show extremes of emotion beyond grace, fickleness, fear or spite. And this atmosphere is perfectly suited to the librettist's own take on the metamorphosis of Dafne.