Rossini: Torvaldo e Dorliska (complete Opera in two Acts). ARS Brunensis Chamber Choir and Czech Chamber Soloists, Brno conducted by Alessandro de Marchi – Naxos 8.660189-90 (141 minutes).
This ‘opera semiseria’ by Gioacchino Rossini has much to commend it. Attractive music, a good plot and only six main characters which render the story less complicated than some of the works being written at the time.
Torvaldo e Dorliska belongs to the category of “rescue opera” that originated in France: Beethoven’s Fidelio and La gazza ladra by the same Rossini are prime examples of the genre, and so its appeal is much greater.
The hero and heroine of the title are subjected to the evil power of a villainous Duke, who has designs on the newly married Dorliska.
Both are saved in the nick of time by Giorgio, the castle custodian, who sends to the absent governor for soldiers to straighten out the injustice about to be perpetrated. In the end everything ends on a happy note.
The opera, which includes some truly lovely music for the protagonists, was premiered on December 26, 1815 at Teatro Valle in Rome, and although the cast included some of the most outstanding singers of the day, the work did not achieve the success that was expected.
Shortly after the first performance, Torvaldo e Dorliska was cut down to one act and very often it had to share a night’s entertainment with L’inganno felice. This chopping andchanging led to the opera’s disappearance altogether, and it is only in recent times that we have witnessed its overdue revival.
This live recording fromthe Kursaal Bad Wildbad inGermany was taped in 2003, and is one of the few times that the opera was performed during the last two decades. Alessandro de Marchi achieves some highly responsive performances from both singers and orchestra, and his insight into Rossini’s sparkling music is consistently inspiring. Highly enjoyable throughout, notwithstanding the slightly boxy sound and lack of the original text.
Richard Strauss: Suites from Der Rosenkavalier, Die Frau ohne Schatten and Josephs-Legende. Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by JoAnn Falletta – Naxos 8.572041 (68 minutes).
No doubt about it, Richard Strauss (1864-1949) is the most prolific opera composer to come out of Germany, and although Richard Wagner’s place is assured, Strauss can claim to be his natural successor.
Indeed Wagner wrote ‘only’ 13 stage works to Strauss’s near two dozen, but the latter owes all of his musical language to the former. Salome (1905) and Elektra (1908), with their thirst for blood and revenge, knocked audiences off their feet, but with the 1910 Der Rosenkavalier, a comedy in music set in 18th century Vienna, the composer hit it off brilliantly.
Filled with sunny waltz tunes and humorous situations, the opera is Strauss’s most popular piece, and its enormous success induced the composer to fashion out an orchestral suite incorporating the best melodies.
Shortly before his death in 1949, Strauss decided to use the same formula to reanimate interest in two of his lesser-known works, so in 1946 and 1947 he set out to assemble two suites from the opera Die Frau ohne Schatten (The Woman without a Shadow) and the ballet score Josephs Legende (The Legend of Joseph).
In both instances the composer reverted to his earlier mastery of the orchestral tone poem, and managed to create a symphonic memoir of both works in a language that is both melodious and expressively brilliant.
JoAnn Falletta marshals her Buffalo Philharmonic with aplomb and precision, and all three works are dispatched with an exciting vigour that sets the imagination alight. A true sonic spectacular in excellent sound and presentation.
American Tapestry: Wind band classics by Hanson, Gershwin, Benneth, Sousa, Jenkins, Bryant, Williams and Tucker. Richard Shuster, piano,and the Lone Star Wind Orchestra conducted by Eugene Migliaro Corporon – Naxos 8.570968 (72 minutes).
One of the objectives of the Naxos label is to introduce new music in appealing packages toas many music lovers aspossible. This is being done through the many ongoing cycles highlighting a particular genre and this disc is precisely an instalment of one of these cycles: American Wind Band Classics.
The wide-ranging programme includes composers of stature, such as John Philip Sousa, George Gershwin and John Williams, and others less well known but as accom-plished – Howard Hanson, Christopher Tucker and Steven Bryant.
Another notable feature is the period spanning the various pieces, some 100 years, during which band music evolved from the traditional marching sound to full blown classical pieces with a slightly modern and dissonant touch.
The booklet has also some interesting information on each composer and his composition. This gives the listener a better chance of appreciating some of the rarities that make up this exhilarating programme full of stirring brass sounds.
This wonderfully entertaining issue should appeal to the thousands of band music enthusiasts in our islands.
These CDs were made available for review by D’Amato Record Shop of 98/99 St John Street, Valletta.