This CD gives the listener the opportunity - until now a rather rare one - to hear Giuseppi Verdi’s music through the filter of an entirely instrumental, chamber music elaboration for flute and piano. It hinges on flutist-composers active during Verdi’s time, with an opening to contemporary music through a solo flute piece by Italian composer Paolo Furlani. Arcadio Baracchi and Andrea Trovato highlight the lyricism and virtuosity of these fantasies and paraphrases, where the performers’ skill is cleverly brought to light through songs that could be considered real “hits” of their time.