Mercadante, Saverio (1795-1870) - Pelagio : Rivas / Italian International Orchestra, Finucci, Polito, etc (2008 Stereo)(2CD) - Import 2 CD

Credits:

Mercadante, Saverio (1795-1870)

Description:

World premiere recording! The CD of Mercadante's "Pelagio" from the 2008 program at the Itria's Valley Music Festival of Martina Franca, which is known for presenting the last opera "Pelagio," a rare opera by Verdi's senior and greatest rival, Mercadante. Saverio Mercadante (1795-1870) was a composer of about the same time as Donizetti, and is known as the composer who brought the techniques of French grand opera to Italian opera in the late 1830s, with "The Oath" (1837) and "The Assassin" (1839) being his representative works from this period. In the 1840s, Verdi and the young Verdi were evenly divided in the popularity of Italian opera. In fact, it is said that Verdi learned much from Mercadante. Peragio" was the last opera composed by Mercadante, premiered in 1857 at the Opera di San Carlo in Naples.The story is based on the historical fact that Pelajo, king of Asturias, won the first victory over the Muslims at the Battle of Covadonga in 722 in Spain in the early days of the Reconquista (a movement to wipe out Islamic power from the land). Bianca, Pelayo's daughter, fell in love with the Muslim king Abdel-Aor, and the story depicts Pelayo's desire to win back his daughter, Bianca's struggle between love and love, and Abdel-Aor's suspicion that Bianca may have betrayed him. If you like Verdi's "Middle Trilogy," this is for you. Bianca is sung by Polito, a Palermo-born soprano who succeeded Patrizia Chofi as the "prima donna of Martina Franca. Her dark, moist voice is appealing. Finucci is a young Italian Verdi baritone whose popularity has soared in recent years. Both singers are gems who will carry the future of Italian opera on their shoulders. King International

Tracklisting:

1.Pelagio: Act 1. Preludio ed Introduzione. O sospirata Gione
2.Pelagio: Act 1. Moviamo fra le tenebre
3.Pelagio: Act 1. In terra solitaria
4.Pelagio: Act 1. Ah! No non so piu reggere
5.Pelagio: Act 1. Almen di vaghe
6.Pelagio: Act 1. Immenso nel silenzio
7.Pelagio: Act 1. Alla gioia or t'abbandona
8.Pelagio: Act 1. Bianca, de' nostri voti
9.Pelagio: Act 1. Tu tremi, ah si tu tremi
10.Pelagio: Act 1. Abdel viva!
11.Pelagio: Act 2. Che rechi? / Uno stranier chiede parlarti
12.Pelagio: Act 2. Ei gra gli estremi aneliti
13.Pelagio: Act 2. Deh! Ti mova questo pianto
14.Pelagio: Act 2. Ebben! Puo ancor rivivere
15.Pelagio: Act 2. Asan... / Parti
16.Pelagio: Act 2. Non sai che Bianca all'Arabo
17.Pelagio: Act 2. Gia mano d'Iberi tra l'ombre raccolti

Mercadante Collection List