Geoffrey Mitchell Choir

Opera Rara continues to explore the fascinating figure of Saverio Mercadante with this world premiere recording of substantial highlights from I Normanni a Parigi, written for Turin in 1832. With Rossini in retirement, Mercadante was then in competition with Bellini and Donizetti for the crown of Italian opera. As this work demonstrates, he was easily in the running. Mercadante expert Michael Rose describes it as ‘one of the highlights of this period’, scoring ‘a triumph’ at its premiere before circulating widely. The libretto (by Felice Romani, the finest practitioner of the art in his day) is set in Paris, following the death of the mighty King Charlemagne, with the city threatened and eventually besieged by Norman invaders. The complex plot centres on Charlemagne’s widow, Berta (sung by Judith Howarth), who was previously secretly married to Ordamante (Riccardo Novaro) in a relationship that produced her equally secret son, Osvino (Katarina Karnéus), now guarded by the loyal Odone (Barry Banks). When Ordamante leads the Normans against the Carolingian forces, father and son are pitted against each other, though the latter initially knows nothing of their relationship. The scene is set for personal and political drama of the highest order in this gripping drama from the heart of the bel canto repertoire.

This is the seventh opera in the Essential Opera Rara series and, once again, a vivid impression of the work is captured on a single disc, accompanied by a complete libretto and article by the eminent 19th century musical scholar, Jeremy Commons.

Renee Fleming’s remarkable vocal technique is ideally suited to the role of Rosmonda, who battles with Eleanor of Aquitaine, (Nelly Miricioiu) for the love of Henry II (Bruce Ford). Donizetti reserves some deliciously florid vocal writing for Rosmonda, allowing Fleming to display the luscious tone for which she is so admired. This disc contains all of Rosmondas music, with her big Act 2 aria as the final item. Don’t miss Donizetti’s powerfully tragic duet for two sopranos, playing one diva off against the other.

As part of its 40th anniversary celebrations, Opera Rara proudly presents this re-release of highlights from the first complete opera recording ever made by world-famous soprano and Opera Rara Patron, Renée Fleming.

One of Opera Rara’s historical strengths has been its enthusiasm to discover, nurture and promote bright young singers. One of the beautiful lyric soprano voices the late Patric Schmid took under his wing belonged to American singer, Renée Fleming, who went on to become one of the most celebrated sopranos of our time. And also one of the best-selling!

Rosmonda d’Inghilterra was a work of Donizetti’s artistic maturity, produced in between Lucrezia Borgia (Milan, 1833) and Maria Stuarda (intended for Naples in 1834, but in fact premiered in Milan in 1835), with a libretto by Felice Romani, the leading practitioner of the genre in Italy at that time.

Despite the opera’s rarity, its qualities as a work remain exceptional. The plot is derived from English history (suitably fictionalised) and centres on the bitter hatred of Eleanor of Aquitaine, wife of Henry II, for his mistress Rosamond Clifford, whom she eventually murders. Donizetti was able to depict the heightened emotions of the characters with particular vividness.

In order to present these highlights to the best possible musical effect, Patric Schmid re-ordered them slightly from their appearance in the context of the opera.

Featuring the superb cast of the original recording (including Bruce Ford, Nelly Miricioiu, Alastair Miles and Diana Montague), the disc has undergone a stunning makeover and is sure to attract the attention of opera and Fleming fans alike.

In this popular series of highlights, Opera Rara selects the best moments from neglected 19th century operas. Each single-disc set is accompanied by a complete libretto, allowing the listener to place the selections in the context of the whole opera.

One of the most popular operatic comedies of the late 19th century was Crispino e la comare (1850) by the Brothers Ricci – Luigi (1805–59) and Federico (1809–77). But as well as collaborating on a number of works, the two pursued separate careers as highly successful composers in Italy and indeed throughout Europe. In 2004, Opera Rara introduced Federico’s music to the Essential Opera Rara series with his moving 1838 melodramma semiserio, La prigione di Edimburgo (ORR228), based on Sir Walter Scott’s The Heart of Midlothian. Now we return to the younger brother for Corrado d’Altamura, a dramma lirico that opened at La Scala in 1841. Set in 12th-century Sicily, the highly dramatic plot tells of betrayal and then revenge between Roggero, the Duke of Agrigento (sung here by Dmitry Korchak) and his former friend and tutor, Corrado (James Westman), to whose daughter, Delizia (Dimitra Theodossiou), Roggero has promised marriage – only to break his vows. The great expert in 19th-century Italian opera Julian Budden thought Federico the more accomplished and versatile of the two brothers, whose serious works, ‘late offshoots of the Bellinian tradition… are worthy to stand beside Mercadante’s’. They have an honoured position in the Opera Rara catalogue.

This is the sixth opera in the Essential Opera Rara series and, once again, a vivid impression of the work is captured on a single disc, accompanied by a complete libretto and article by the eminent 19th century musical scholar, Jeremy Commons.