Rossini: Torvaldo E Dorliska / De Marchi, Cigna, Et Al

$29.99
Label
Naxos
Release Date
August 29, 2006
Format
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    Featuring ⌄
    • COMPOSER
      ROSSINI
    • PERFORMER
      De M, Czech Chamber Soloists Brno, Bellavia, Utzeri, Cigna, Rhys-Evans
    Product Details ⌄
    Works ⌄

    1. Act I: No. 1. Sinfonia

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    2. Act I: No. 2. Introduction: E un bel dir che tutto al mondo (Giorgio, Chorus)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    3. Act I: No. 3. Cavatina: Dunque invano i perigli e la morte (Duca, Giorgio, Ormondo, Chorus)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    4. Act I: No. 4. Recitative: Ormondo...La mia gente (Duca, Ormondo, Giorgio)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    5. Act I: No. 5. Scene and Cavatina: Dove son? chi m'aita?...Tutto e vano (Dorliska)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    6. Act I: No. 6. Recitative: Ah son pure infelice! (Dorliska, Carlotta, Giorgio)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    7. Act I: No. 7. Scene: Ola! Ella...oh ciel! (Duca, Dorliska)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    8. Act I: No. 8. Recitative: Ella più non mi fugge (Duca, Ormondo, Giorgio)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    9. Act I: No. 9. Scene and Cavatina: Tutto e silenzio (Torvaldo)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    10. Act I: Nos. 10 and 11. Recitative: Ah ch'io non reggo ai moti (Torvaldo, Giorgio, Duca)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    11. Act I: No. 11. Trio: Ah qual raggio di speranza (Duca, Torvaldo, Giorgio)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    12. Act I: No. 12 Recitative and Aria: Io non ne posso più (Ormondo)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    13. Act I: No. 13. First Finale: Duet: Oh via, signora mia (Carlotta, Dorliska)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    14. Act I: No. 14. Trio: Immota e stupida (Torvaldo, Giorgio, Duca)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    15. Act I: No. 15. Quartet: Mia signora...a me badate (Giorgio, Torvaldo, Duca, Dorliska)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    16. Act I: No. 16. Segue and Stretta of the First Finale: Su, Dorliska...fate cuore (Torvaldo, Dorliska, Duca, Giorgio, Chorus)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    17. Act II: No. 17. Introduction: Bravi, bravi: qua venite (Giorgio, Chorus)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    18. Act II: No. 18. Recitative: Or ben: gia qualche cosa (Giorgio, Torvaldo)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    19. Act II: No. 19. Recitative and Aria: Odimi: ah tu di me, mio buon amico (Torvaldo, Giorgio)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    20. Act II: Nos. 20 and 21. Recitative: No, pentirsi non giova (Duca, Giorgio, Dorliska)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    21. Act II: No. 21. Aria: Ferma, costante, immobile (Dorliska, Duca)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    22. Act II: Nos. 22 and 23. Recitative: Insensata!...e non vede (Duca, Giorgio, Dorliska, Carlotta)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    23. Act II: No. 23. Aria: Una voce lusinghiera (Carlotta)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    24. Act II: No. 24. Recitative and Duet: Non so se ho fatto bene (Giorgio, Duca)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    25. Act II: No. 25. Recitative and Duet: Dunque tu vuoi ch'io parta? (Dorliska, Torvaldo)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    26. Act II: No. 26 Recitative and Sextet: Ma via, signori miei (Carlotta, Dorliska, Torvaldo, Duca, Giorgio, Ormondo, Chorus)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    27. Act II: No. 27. Recitative: Ah di noi che sara? (Dorliska, Torvaldo, Giorgio, Ormondo, Carlotta)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    28. Act II: No. 28. Scene and Aria: Cedi, cedi! Dagli... (Chorus, Duca, Torvaldo, Giorgio) / No. 29 Recitative: Per bacco, seguitatelo (Giorgio)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini

    29. Act II: No. 29. Second Finale: Grazie al destin pietoso (Dorliska, Torvaldo, Carlotta, Giorgio, Chorus)

      Composer: Gioachino Rossini


Torvaldo e Dorliska was Rossini's 16th opera, premiered in Rome in December, 1815, two months after Elisabetta... and two months before Barbiere. It has an odd tone--it's a so-called "rescue opera". The plot concerns the eponymous hero and heroine, who are married. The evil Duke loves Dorliska and attacks the couple on their wedding day and leaves Torvaldo for dead. Dorliska runs away but winds up (unknowingly) taking refuge at the Duke's castle and is imprisoned. When Torvaldo finds his way there he attempts to rescue her, but he also is taken prisoner. The Duke's embittered henchman, Giorgio (a comic role), helps the couple. The villagers rise up and the Duke is punished, while our heroes live happily.

The opera is not in the top 10 of Rossini's great output--it breaks no new ground--but it's quite enjoyable despite being neither serious nor comic. Torvaldo has a couple of fine arias, as does Dorliska, the first-act finale is excellent, and even the basses and baritones have some good, if not altogether memorable, music.

This performance is very good indeed. Taped live in Bad Wildbad in July, 2003, stage noises do not interfere and there are precious few problems with ensembles, missed notes, etc., perhaps because there were patch-up sessions. Paolo Cigna and Huw Rhys-Evans are our heroine and hero and they're both up to the task. The former has plenty of high-flying and florid music and she sings it all accurately and with the right emphasis, while Rhys-Evans' very light, sweet voice copes well enough without the word "virtuoso" (or "Blake" or "Florez") coming to mind.

Michele Bianchini as the Duke exhibits a good-sized voice that may lack heft in the middle but that otherwise is a pleasure to hear. Mauro Utzeri, as the villain-turned-good guy Giorgio, sings with great character and a light tone (he's billed as a baritone); his duet with the Duke is a high spot. The rest of the cast is just fine.

Alessandro de Marchi leads a tight performance, one in which neither recitatives nor slower passages drag, and he keeps up with the singers nicely. Even a superb conductor would be unable to make the music of our villain, the Duke, sound villainous (this is Rossini's shortcoming in this opera), but he gives the work a respectable amount of drama nonetheless and his orchestra and chorus are excellent. No libretto is supplied but the track-by-track synopsis is very helpful.

There is another live recording of this opera, from Radio Switzerland in 1992 and starring tenor Ernesto Palacio (on Arkadia), but I haven't seen it in years--and at any rate, this Naxos set is better. Calling all Rossinians--who will also enjoy spotting bits and pieces of some of the composer's other operas sprinkled throughout.

--Robert Levine, ClassicsToday.com