Donizetti - L'elisir d'amore, Opera, Op. 72

ID: GFO00562 (EAN: 878280000054)  | 2 CD | DDD
Publi: 2009

LABEL:

GLYNDEBOURNE

Subcollection:

Opéra

Compositeurs:

DONIZETTI, (Domenico) Gaetano

Orchestre

Glyndebourne Chorus | Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Chef d'orchestre:

CILLARIO, Carlo Felice

Pour plus amples dtails:

Mirella Freni (Adina), Luigi Alva (Nemorino), Enzo Sordello (Belcore), Sesto Bruscantini (Dulcamara), Emily Maire (Giannetta)

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra & The Glyndebourne Chorus, Carlo Felice Cillario

Recorded live at Glyndebourne at one performance during June 1962.

The 2CD set is packaged as a 150 page hard bound book containing a full libretto translated into English, French and German along with a commissioned article about the opera, and synopsis in English, French and German.

Designed and Directed by Franco Zeffirelli.

Glyndebourne Opera has a history of trend setting and pioneering opera productions and Donizetti’s opera L’elisir d’amore is no exception. Popular in Donizetti’s own lifetime, L’elisir faded into relative obscurity until the 1890s when Caruso championed the role of Nemorino: his dedication and conviction were such that Covent Garden arranged a production of the opera in 1902. L’elisir was a personal favourite of Caruso’s, so much so that in 1920 he played Nemorino in his last appearance with the Metropolitan Opera. Almost 60 years later, in 1961, it was Glyndebourne who staged a production of L’elisir d’amore designed and directed by Franco Zeffirelli. Such was the success and acclaim for this production that Glyndebourne revived it in 1962, enhancing the production with the addition of the lively and capricious Mirella Freni.

As the press noted: ‘Her [Freni's] looks and her cantabile singing melt, so to speak, on the tongue, and she acts her teasing charades with Sergeant Belcore as if nothing were farther from her mind than cruelty.’ (The Times, August 1962) and ‘Mirella Freni, the sparkling new Adina, rightly allowed real tenderness to shine through vanity and caprice.’ (The Sunday Times, August 1962)

Mirella Freni was first engaged by Glyndebourne in 1960 (and sings Susanna in Glyndebourne’s own recording of Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro GFOCD00162).

Previously she had also performed at the opera house in Torino in the late 50s and sung with Netherlands Opera in 1959-60 season, but her international break and recognition came by virtue of her role as Adina in this 1962 production.

This recording, released here for the first time, precedes Freni’s EMI recording of L’elisir d’amore with Nicolai Gedda as Nemorino in a Rome Opera production by some 5 years. In this recording, Freni has a cast of equals around her. As the besotted Nemorino, Luigi Alva vividly portrays the wounded innocent with The Daily Telegraph noting in August 1962 that ‘Alva’s Nemorino is a wonderful combination of rustic clowning and exquisitely finished bel canto’, with Enzo Sordello a baritone voice big enough to fill a stadium, providing a fresh virile and bold Belcore. Conductor Carlo Felice Cillario enjoyed a 60 plus year career and is remembered for his masterful interpretations of Puccini, Verdi and Donizetti operas and stands as one of the most singer-friendly conductors of all time.

Track list:
CD:1
L'elisir d'amore, opera
1. No. 1. Preludio
2. Act 1. Coro d'introduzione. Bel conforto al mietiore
3. Act 1. Cavatina. Benedette queste carte!
4. Act 1. Cavatina. Marziale
5. Act 1. Cavatina. Come Paride vezzoso
6. Act 1. Cavatina. Orse m'ami, com'io t'amo
7. Act 1. Recitativo. Intanto, o mia ragazza, occuperò la piazza
8. Act 1. No. 2. Scena. Una parola, o Adina
9. Act 1. Duetto. Chiedi all'aura lusinghiera
10. Act 1. No. 3. Coro. che vuol dire codesta sonata?
11. Act 1. Cavatina. Udite, udite, o rustici
12. Act 1. No. 4. Recitativo. Ardir! Ha forse il cielo mandato
13. Act 1. Scena e Duetto. Voglio dire... Io stupendo Elisir
14. Act 1. No. 5. Recitativo. Caro Elisir! sei mio!
15. Act 1. Duetto. Lallarallara, la, la, la
16. Act 1. Terzetto. Tran, tran... In guerra, ed in amor
17. Act 1. Finale. Quartetto. Signor sargente
18. Act 1. Finale. Quartetto. Adina, credimi, te ne scongiuro...
19. Act 1. Finale. Quartetto. Andiam, Belcore
CD:2
1. Act 2. No. 6. Coro d'introduzione. Cantiamo, cantiam
2. Act 2. Barcaruola a due voci
3. Act 2. Le feste nuziali!
4. Act 2. Ai perigli della guerra
5. Act 2. Qua la mano, giovinotto
6. Act 2. No. 8. Coro. Saria possibile?
7. Act 2. No. 9. Quartetto. Dell'elisir mirabile
8. Act 2. Come sen va contento!
9. Act 2. No. 10. Duetto. Quanto amore!
10. Act 2. No. 11. Romanza. Una furtiva lagrima
11. Act 2. No. 12. Recitativo ed Aria. Prendi, prendi, per me sei libero
12. Act 2. No. 13. Aria e Finale. Marziale
13. Act 2. Finale. Ei corregge ogni difetto

Glyndebourne's searing, sublime Fidelio is an example of what can happen - but seldom does - when everything comes together in opera...Do anything to get a ticket: opera simply does not come better than this --The Sunday Telegraph, 2006

Anja Kampe is the Leonore of one s dreams and Torsten Kerl's Florestan complements her ideally, with thrilling tone from them both in their duet. --Opera Magazine, 2006

A moving and enthralling Fidelio...Glyndebourne has pulled it off, in a revival that shows the place on top form building on teamwork, attention to detail and rigorous rehersal.. --The Daily Telegrap, 2006