Vivaldi: Catone In Utica / Malgoire, Laszezkowski, Et Al

$24.99
Label
Dynamic
Release Date
January 1, 2002
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    Featuring ⌄
    • COMPOSER
      VIVALDI, ANTONIO
    • PERFORMER
      Edwards, Laszczkowski, Faraon, Cangemi, Jaroussky, Bertini, La Grande Ecurie Et La Chambre Du Roy
    Product Details ⌄
    Works ⌄

    1. Act I: Overture: I. Allegro

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    2. Act I: Overture: II. Andante

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    3. Act I: Overture: III. Allegro

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    4. Act I Scene 1: Perche si mesto, o padre? (Marzia, Arbace, Catone)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Liliana Faraon, Philippe Jaroussky, Simon Edwards

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    5. Act I Scene 1: Con si bel nome in fronte (Catone)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Simon Edwards

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    6. Act I Scene 2: Poveri affetti miei (Arbace, Marzia)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Liliana Faraon, Philippe Jaroussky

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    7. Act I Scene 2: E' follia se nascondete (Marzia)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Liliana Faraon

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    8. Act I Scene 3: Che giurai, che promisi? (Arbace)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Philippe Jaroussky

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    9. Act I Scene 3: Che legge spietata (Arbace)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Philippe Jaroussky

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    10. Act I Scene 4: Dunque Cesare venga (Catone, Cesare, Fulvio) - Scene 5: Che veggio, oh dei! (Emilia, Fulvio, Cesare, Catone) - Scene 6: Tu taci (Cesare, Emilia, Fulvio)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Verónica Cangemi, Jacek Laszczkowski, Diana Bertini, Simon Edwards

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    11. Act I Scene 6: Vage sei ne' sdegni tuoi (Cesare)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Jacek Laszczkowski

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    12. Act I Scene 7: Quanto da te diverso (Emilia, Fulvio)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Verónica Cangemi, Diana Bertini

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    13. Act I Scene 7: L'ira mia bella sdegnata (Fulvio)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Diana Bertini

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    14. Act I Scene 8: Se gli altrui folli amori e soffro (Emilia)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Verónica Cangemi

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    15. Act I Scene 8: O nel sen di qualche stella (Emilia)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Verónica Cangemi

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    16. Act I Scene 9: Giunse dunque a tentarti (Cesare, Fulvio) - Scene 10: Pur ti riveggo (Cesare, Marzia)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Jacek Laszczkowski, Liliana Faraon, Diana Bertini

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    17. Act I Scene 10: Apri le luci, e mira (Cesare)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Jacek Laszczkowski

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    18. Act II Scene 1: Marzia t'accheta (Catone, Marzia, Fulvio, Arbace) - Scene 2: A tanto eccesso (Fulvio, Marzia, Arbace)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Liliana Faraon, Diana Bertini, Philippe Jaroussky, Simon Edwards

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    19. Act II Scene 2: S'andra senza pastore (Arbace)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Philippe Jaroussky

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    20. Act II Scene 3: Che gran sorte e la mia! (Marzia, Emilia) - Scene 4: Or mai consolati Signor (Fulvio, Cesare, Marzia)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Liliana Faraon, Verónica Cangemi, Jacek Laszczkowski, Diana Bertini

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    21. Act II Scene 4: Se mai senti spirarti sul volto (Cesare)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Jacek Laszczkowski

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    22. Act II Scene 5: Lode agli Dei (Emilia, Marzia) - Scene 6: Tu vedi o bella Emilia (Fulvio, Emilia) - Scene 7: O Dio tutta se stessa (Fulvio)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Verónica Cangemi, Liliana Faraon, Diana Bertini

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    23. Act II Scene 7: Degl'Elisi dal soggiorno (Fulvio)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Diana Bertini

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    24. Act II Scene 7: Introduzione per timpani

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    25. Act II Scene 8: Si vuole ad onta mia (Catone, Cesare) - Scene 9: Cesare, e dove? (Marzia, Cesare, Catone)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Jacek Laszczkowski, Liliana Faraon, Simon Edwards

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    26. Act II Scene 9: Se in campo armato (Cesare)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Liliana Faraon

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    27. Act II Scene 10: Ah, signor che facesti! (Marzia, Catone, Emilia) - Scene 11: Signor, so ch'a momenti (Arbace, Catone, Emilia)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Liliana Faraon, Verónica Cangemi, Philippe Jaroussky, Simon Edwards

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    28. Act II Scene 11: Dovea svenarti allora (Catone)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Simon Edwards

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    29. Act II Scene 12: Sarete paghi alfin (Marzia, Arbace, Emilia)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Liliana Faraon, Verónica Cangemi, Philippe Jaroussky

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    30. Act II Scene 12: Il povero mio core (Marzia)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Liliana Faraon

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    31. Act II Scene 13: Udisti Arbace? (Emilia, Arbace) - Scene 14: Or di Catone l'asilo (Emilia)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Verónica Cangemi, Philippe Jaroussky

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    32. Act II Scene 14: Come in vano il mare irato (Emilia)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Verónica Cangemi

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    33. Act III: Sinfonia: Andante

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    34. Act III Scene 1: Tutto amico ho tentato (Cesare, Fulvio) - Scene 2: Quanti aspetti la sorte (Cesare, Marzia)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Jacek Laszczkowski, Liliana Faraon, Diana Bertini

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    35. Act III Scene 2: Se parto, se resto ( Marzia)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Liliana Faraon

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    36. Act III Scene 3: Me infelice! Che valmi aver soggetto (Cesare)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Jacek Laszczkowski

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    37. Act III Scene 3: Sarebbe un bel diletto (Cesare)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Jacek Laszczkowski

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    38. Act III Scene 4: E questo, amici (Emilia) - Scene 5: Ecco (Cesare, Emilia) - Scene 6: O la (Catone … ) - Scene 7: D'altre (Catone … ) - Scene 8: Siam (Emilia … ) - Scene 9: Chi (Emilia)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Verónica Cangemi, Jacek Laszczkowski, Simon Edwards

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    39. Act III Scene 9: Nella foresta (Emilia)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Verónica Cangemi

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    40. Act III Scene 10: Vinceste, inique stelle (Catone) - Scene 11: Padre (Marzia, Arbace, Catone)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Liliana Faraon, Philippe Jaroussky, Simon Edwards

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    41. Act III Scene 11: Fuggi dal guardo mio (Catone)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Simon Edwards

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    42. Act III Scene 12: Il vincer, o compagni (Cesare, Fulvio) - Last Scene: Ah Cesare, o sia vero (Marzia, Cesare, Arbace, Emilia)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Performer: Jacek Laszczkowski, Liliana Faraon, Diana Bertini, Philippe Jaroussky

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire

    43. Act III Scene 12: D'amor la face (Chorus)

      Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

      Ensemble: La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

      Conductor: Jean-Claude Malgoire



This is not the first time this 1735 opera has been recorded. Erato (remember them?) released a 1986 performance under Claudio Scimone that was quite good but in the long run can't compare dramatically with this live performance from France in November, 2001. In the notes accompanying the earlier release, we learn that only the second and third acts survive and that the first was written by one or more other composers--a sort of patchwork. Scimone, therefore, only presents the acts he believes are by Vivaldi, as evidenced by the autograph score in Turin. Jean-Claude Malgoire claims to have located two of the missing Act 1 arias, takes the music of some others from various Vivaldi operas (and re-sets the words of the Catone libretto, which has been found in Bologna, to that music), and has composed the recitatives "drawing his inspiration from existing Vivaldi compositions." Scholarship aside, the result gives us lots of terrific music, scored for strings and continuo, but with the occasional addition of two trumpets and two horns (in the extant Vivaldi), and oboes and recorders in the Act 1 reconstruction.

If the truth be known, the plot stands very well with just the last two acts; the libretto of the first is exposition. The opera concerns the Republican Cato's (tenor) refusal to give in to Caesar (male soprano), who has killed Pompey and taken over Rome. Pompey's widow Emilia (soprano) actually is the piece's villain--her hatred for Caesar keeps everyone's feelings toward him inflamed and she tries to manipulate his death. Cato's daughter Marzia (soprano) loves Caesar, but he (Cato) wants her to marry Arbace, his ally. This is a real problem. And Caesar's ally, Fulvio, loves Emilia, although he may just be covering his bets--a confusing bonus. Metastasio, the librettist, wanted Cato to die onstage in his daughter's arms but opted for him to die off stage and have Marzia report it. Even that was too strong for 18th century Verona, so he recast it with a happy ending: after Cato's army is defeated Caesar spares Cato in order to gain Marzia's love, Emilia leaves in disgrace after swearing revenge, Arbace is unhappy but realizes that the outcome is good for the country, and peace returns. The final chorus is suitably unconvincing, and I bet Vivaldi knew it. He scored the soprano Caesar's vocal line so low that there's no real enthusiasm; the music is like an editorial commentary.

Up to then, however, the characters' feelings are ablaze and realistic, with impressive arias and huge drama in the recitatives. Malgoire is particularly good in the dramatic, realistic pacing of the recitatives, but the arias also are well accompanied, and if Malgoire is responsible for the embellishments in the da capo sections of arias, then he is to be further congratulated. His period-instrument band plays beautifully, with the trumpets braying nobly, the strings smooth or cutting as the text requires, and the ensemble work first class.


The singing doesn't let us down either: Simon Edwards' Cato is an aristocratic ruler, but he's capable of great fury against poor Marzia, with whom he becomes enraged for her love of Caesar in both Acts 1 and 2. He handles the role's coloratura well. Marzia is a sappy ingénue with pretty, lachrymose arias, though at least the one in the last act is energetic (and her interjections of "O Dio! Pieta!" in Cato's last Rage Aria are enchanting in their sincerity).


Emilia has two furious arias and wicked recitatives, and Veronica Cangemi, in this all-over-the-place-vocally-and-dramatically role, makes you sit up and listen to her scorn. She's spectacular. Sympathetic Caesar, sung by male soprano Jacek Laszczkowski, is expressive and has the difficult music--trills, leaps, pianissimos, high B-flats--fully in hand. Male alto Philippe Jaroussky is good in the nowhere role of Arbace, and the same can be said about Diana Bertini as Fulvio, an even weaker character. If you love Baroque opera, or may want to, this is top-of-the-line. And whether or not Malgoire is right about his reconstruction of Act 1, it's nice to have another 50-something minutes of well-performed Vivaldi to savor.
--Robert Levine, ClassicsToday.com