Donato Renzetti, Cagliari Opera House Orchestra, Vieta Pirenko, Angela Neece, Antonio Gaudí - Respighi (1879-1936) La Bella Dormente Nel Bosco : Muscato, Renzetti / Cagliari Teatro Lirico, Pilipenko, Nisi, Gandia, Taormina, Etc (2017 Stereo) - Import DVD

Credits:

Donato Renzetti, Cagliari Opera House Orchestra, Vieta Pirenko, Angela Neece, Antonio Gaudí

Description:

Beautiful music, dreamlike stage. Respighi's fairy tale opera "Sleeping Beauty"! The modern Italian composer Respighi is well known for his brilliantly orchestrated works such as "The Roman Trilogy" and "The Stained Glass in the Church". In 1919, around the time of the great success of "The Fountains of Rome," he was asked by Diaghilev, the leader of the Ballets Russes, to arrange Rossini's work for orchestra, "The Eccentric Shop," which became very popular. Hearing of this reputation, Vittoria Apodreca, director of the Teatro di Piccolo, a puppet troupe of great renown at the time. He asked Respighi to compose music for Perrault's "Sleeping Beauty," a story about a princess who sleeps through the centuries, only to be awakened by the kiss of a prince. Respighi transformed it into an opera in 1934, orchestrating the entire work with brilliant orchestrations and giving the main characters technical and charming arias.This video, recorded in 2017, has the flavor of the original "puppet show," but with cosy costumes and beautiful lighting, making it an even more fantastic tale. The singers are also in fine form, including Vieta Pilipenko, who sings a variety of roles from queen to frog; Shushik Barsumyan as the Blue Fairy, whose coloratura skills are superb; and Antonito Gandia, who plays the dashing prince. The colorfully costumed characters sing and dance to the exquisite sound of Respighi's orchestras, and the production is full of charm and enjoyment for children and adults alike. Naxos Japan