Gaetano Donizetti – Roberto Devereux

Recorded live at Teatro La Fenice, Venice on 10/02/1972

About this Opera:
Roberto Devereux (or Roberto Devereux, ossia Il conte di Essex [Roberto Devereux, or the Earl of Essex]) is a tragedia lirica, or tragic opera, by Gaetano Donizetti. Salvatore Cammarano wrote the Italian libretto after François Ancelot’s tragedy Elisabeth d’Angleterre. It is loosely based on the life of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, an influential member of Queen Elizabeth’s court. It is one of a number of operas by Donizetti which deal with the Tudor period in English history and include Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda and Il castello di Kenilworth. It was first performed on October 29, 1837 at the Teatro San Carlo, Naples.
The plot of Roberto Devereux was hardly original and was liberally taken from Il Conte d’Essex by Felice Romani (1833). Romani’s widow charged Cammarano with plagiarism though the practice of stealing plots was very common between rival Italian opera houses. Robert Devereux was the subject of at least three French plays: Le Comte d’Essex by Pierre Corneille, Le Comte d’Essex by La Calprenede, and the source of this opera Elisabeth d’Angleterre by François Ancelot. There are many historical inaccuracies in the libretto but it makes for an excellent drama.
Though the opera is rarely performed today, it contains some of Donizetti’s best vocal writing. The opera is raw and emotional; it is a powerful vehicle for the soprano. Some of the highlights include the Act I duet between Elizabeth and Robert Nascondi, frena i palpiti. The final scene is one of the most dramatic and difficult in bel canto opera. As Elizabeth is going mad with the death of her lover, Quel sangue versato pushes romantic opera to the limits of melodic expression.

Track List:
cd1:
1. Sinfonia (12:55)
2. Act I – Introduzione e Cavatina Elisabetta (5:53)
3. Act I – Duetto (Elisabetta e Roberto) (4:04)
4. Act I – Dopo il Duetto di Elisabetta ed Essex (10:20)
5. Act I – Cavatina Nottingham (5:17)
6. Act I – Dopo la Cavatina die Nottingham (4:48)
7. Act I – Duetto Sara e Roberto (12:25)
cd2:
1. Act II – Coro E Finale (24:06)
2. Act III – Recitativo (2:53)
3. Act III – Duetto Sara e Nottingham (8:45)
4. Act III – Scena ed Aria Roberto (6:02)
5. Act III – Ultima scena (19:32)

The Players:

Stereo, ADD, mp3, 320 kbps, 286.36 b, 1 hour 57 minutes. Covers, info & synopsis included.

Part1 —–   Part2 —–   Part3

Gaetano Donizetti – Lucrezia Borgia

Recorded in May 1966 at the RCA Italiana Studios, Roma

About this opera:
Lucrezia Borgia is a melodramma, or opera, in a prologue and two acts by Gaetano Donizetti. Felice Romani wrote the Italian libretto after the play by Victor Hugo, in its turn after the legend of Lucrezia Borgia. Lucrezia Borgia was first performed on 26 December 1833 at La Scala, Milan with Lelande and Pedrazzi. The first London production was at Her Majesty’s Theatre in 1839 with Giulia Grisi and Mario. When the opera was staged in Paris (Théâtre des Italiens) in 1840, Victor Hugo obtained an injunction against further productions within the domain of French copyright law. The libretto was then rewritten and retitled La Rinegata, with the Italian characters changed to Turks, and the performances were resumed. The first English-language production was in London on 30 December, 1843. The English tenor Sims Reeves was a noted Gennaro. Lucrezia was presented at New York (Astor Place Opera House) in 1847: with Giulia Grisi in 1854; and with Therese Tietjens and Brignoli in 1876. It was given at the Academy of Music in 1882, and at the Metropolitan Opera House in 1902 with Enrico Caruso as Gennaro. Therese Tietjens was a particularly famous 19th century Lucrezia, who made her debut in the role at Hamburg in 1849, and in her day was unequalled and completely identified with the role. (She was also a superb Norma, Donna Anna, and Agathe.) In later life she became very fat, and collapsed on stage at Her Majesty’s Theatre, London during her last performance, in this role, in 1877: she died soon afterwards. A famous performance of Lucrezia Borgia given in 1965 at Carnegie Hall with soprano Montserrat Caballé (her American debut) was soon followed by a recording featuring Caballé, mezzo soprano Shirley Verrett, tenor Alfredo Kraus, and bass Ezio Flagello, conducted by Jonel Perlea. This performance and recording helped reintroduce the work to the opera-loving public. Lucrezia’s aria “Com’è bello”, Orsino’s Brindisi “Il segreto per esser felice”, the tenor’s “Di pescator ignobile”, and the bass aria “Vieni, la mia vendetta!” are all very effective and famous melodic moments from the opera and have been performed and recorded frequently. Lucrezia Borgia is still performed from time to time as a vehicle for a star soprano, and there are several recordings available.

Track List:
cd1:
01. Prologue: Bella Venezia (5:31)
02. Prologue: Nella fatal di Rimini (4:32)
03. Prologue: Senti. La danza invitaci (2:55)
04. Prologue: Tranquillo ei posa (5:41)
05. Prologue – Com’e bello! (5:40)
06. Prologue – Si voli il primo a cogliere (3:00)
07. Prologue – Ciel!-Che vegg’io (2:58)
08. Prologue – Di pescatore ignobile (7:45)
09. Prologue – Gente appressa – io ti lascio (1:44)
10. Prologue – Maffio Orsini, signora, son io (5:28)
11. Act I, Scene 1: Nel veneto corteggio (1:58)
12. Act I, Scene 1: Viva! Evviva! Viva! Viva! (5:30)
13. Act I, Scene 1: Addio, Gennaro. (3:11)
14. Act I, Scene 1: Qui che fai? (5:13)
cd2:
01. Act I, Scene 2: Tutto eseguisti? (1:37)
02. Act I, Scene 2: Cosi turbata? (4:28)
03. Act I, Scene 2: Soli noi siamo (3:29)
04. Act I, Scene 2: E si avverso a Gennaro (4:55)
05. Act I, Scene 2: Scene 2 – Trafitto tosto ei sia (4:13)
06. Act I, Scene 2: Guai se ti sfugge un moto (3:35)
07. Act I, Scene 2: Infelice! Il Veleno bevesti (3:09)
08. Act II, Scene 1: Rischiarata e la finestra (4:00)
09. Act II, Scene 1: Sei tu? Son io (3:30)
10. Act II, Scene 1: Onde a lei ti mostri grato (7:05)
11. Act II, Scene 1: A noi s’invola (2:44)
12. Act II, Scene 2: Viva il Madera! (8:22)
13. Act II, Scene 2: Il segreto per esser felici (4:18)
14. Act II, Scene 2: La gioia de’ profani (4:00)
15. Act II, Scene 2: Tu pur qui? Non sei feggito? (3:43)
16. Act II, Scene 2: M’odi, ah! m’odi (2:33)
17. Act II, Scene 2: Maffio muore (2:47)
18. Act II, Scene 2: Era desso il figlio mio (5:02)

The Players:

Stereo, ADD, mp3, 320 kbps, 2 hours 34 minutes. Covers, info & synopsis included.

Part1 —–   Part2 —–   Part3 —–   Part4

Gaetano Donizetti – Maria Stuarda

Gaetano Donizetti – Maria Stuarda
Recorded in 1976

About the Opera:
Maria Stuarda (Mary Stuart) is a tragic opera, tragedia lirica, in two acts, by Gaetano Donizetti, to a libretto by Giuseppe Bardari, based on Friedrich von Schiller’s 1800 play Maria Stuart. It received its premiere on December 30, 1835 at La Scala, Milan.
The subject is based on the lives of Mary, Queen of Scots (Mary Stuart) and her cousin Queen Elizabeth I. The king banned performances of the opera, and Donizetti responded by removing large segments of the score for use in a different work, Buondelmonte.  However, Maria Malibran (a famous mezzo-soprano who often sang soprano parts) forced a premiere at La Scala and ignored the censoring revisions, but a ban by the city was enforced. Realizing the impossibility of a run in Italy, a London premiere was planned, but Malibran’s death at the age of 28 in 1836 cancelled the project. Except for several productions of the Buondelmonte version, the work was neglected until 1958 when a production in Bergamo, Donizetti’s hometown, brought the original work into popularity. The premiere in England was held on March 1, 1966. When forced to simplify part of the music for the original Elisabetta, Donizetti scribbled on the margin “But it’s ugly!”, and further on refused a change, writing “Do it, and may you live for a hundred years!

Track List:
cd1
01. Introduzione …Qui s´attenda, ell`è vicina (3:26)
02. Si, voul di Francia il Rege (1:20)
03. (Ah! quando all`ara scorgemi…) (2:53)
04. In tal giorno di contendo (1:26)
05. Ah! dal cielo discenda un raggio (3:22)
06. Fra voi perché non veggio il Conte? (1:30)
07. Hai nelle giostre, o Talbot, chiesto di me? (1:53)
08. Questa imago, questo foglio (6:17)
09. Sei tu confuso? (3:57)
10. Si! Era d`amor I`immagine (4:46)
11. (Sul crin la rivale la man mi stendea…) (2:18)
12. Allenta il piè, Regina (3:08)
13. O nube! che lieve per I`aria ti aggiri (4:00)
14. Nella pace del mestro riposo (2:46)
15. Ah! non m’inganna la gioia! (1:46)
16. Da tuuti abbandonata (4:52)
17. Ah! Se il mio cor tremò giammai (2:09)
18. qual loco è questo? (2:15)
19. (E´sempre la stessa) (2:28)
20. deh! I´accogli…Morta al mondo, e morta al trono (7:50)
21. Va! preparati, furente (1:55)
cd2
01. E pensi? e tardi? (3:17)
02. Quella vita a me funesta (4:40)
03. Ah, deh! per pietà sospendi (3:12)
04. D´una sorella, o barbara (1:29)
05. Vanne, indegno: t’appare nel volto (1:26)
06. La perfida insultarmi volea nel mio sepolcro (3:47)
07. O mio buon Talbot! (4:30)
08. Quando di luce rosea (6:00)
09. Lascia contenta al carcere (2:19)
10. Vedeste?…Vedemmo (5:34)
11. Anna!…Qui più sommessi favellate (4:16)
12. Deh! Tu di un umile preghiera il suono (3:49)
13. O colpo!…E’ già vicino del tuo morrir I’istante (1:31)
14. D”un cor che muore reca il perdono (3:38)
15. Giunge il Conte (1:59)
16. Ah! de un giorno da queste ritorte (4:46)

The Artists:

mp3, 320 kbps, cd ripping, 2 hours 2 minutes
Covers, info & synopsis included.

Part1 —–   Part2 —–   Part3

Gaetano Donizetti – Don Pasquale

Gaetano Donizetti – Don Pasquale
Recorded in 1979

About the Opera:
Don Pasquale is an opera buffa, or comic opera, in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. The composer Giovanni Ruffini wrote the Italian libretto after Angelo Anelli’s libretto for Stefano Pavesi’s Ser Marcantonio (1810). At the time of its composition, Donizetti had just been appointed music director and composer for the imperial court of Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria, and Don Pasquale was the 64th of an eventual 66 operas he composed.
The opera, in the tradition of opera buffa, harkens back to the stock characters of the commedia dell’arte. Pasquale is recognizable as the blustery Pantalone, Ernesto as the lovesick Pierrot, Malatesta as the scheming Scapino, and Norina as a wily Columbina. The false Notary echos a long line of false officials as operatic devices. Don Pasquale was first produced on January 3, 1843 at the Théâtre Italien in Paris.

Track List:
cd1
1. Ouvertüre (6:32)
2. Akt1, Szene1, No1 (9:18)
3. Akt1, Szene1, No2 (9:44)
4. Akt1, Szene2, No3 (6:07)
5. Akt1, Szene2, No4 (11:01)
6. Akt2, No5 (8:51)
7. Akt2, No6 (5:42)
cd2
1. Akt2, No7 (19:49)
2. Akt3, Szene1, No8 (1:13)
3. Akt3, Szene1, No9 (10:05)
4. Akt3, Szene1, No10 (5:07)
5. Akt3, Szene1, No11 (10:31)
6. Akt3, Szene2, No12 (7:26)
7. Akt3, Szene2, No13 (6:58)

The Artists:

mp3, 320 kbps, cd ripping, 118:24 minutes
Covers, info & synopsis included.

Part1 —–   Part2 —–   Part3

Gaetano Donizetti – L’Elisir D’Amore

Gaetano Donizetti – L’Elisir D’Amore

About the Opera:
L’elisir d’amore (The Elixir of Love) is a melodramma giocoso in two acts by the Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti. Felice Romani wrote the Italian libretto after Eugène Scribe’s libretto for Daniel-François-Esprit Auber’s Le philtre (1831). The premiere was at the Teatro della Canobbiana, Milan on 12 May 1832.
L’elisir d’amore is one of the most frequently performed of all Donizetti’s operas and there are a number of recordings. It appears as number twenty on Opera America’s list of the 20 most-performed operas in North America[1]. It contains the popular aria “Una furtiva lagrima,” one of the most famous and often-recited arias in all of opera.

Track List:
cd1
01. Preludio (3:32)
02. Act 1 – Scene 1: Bel conforto al mietitore – Giannetta, mietitori (1:22)
03. Act 1 – Scene 1: Quanto è bella, quanto è cara! – Nemorino (3:08)
04. Act 1 – Scene 1: Benedette queste carte! – Adina (4:34)
05. Act 1 – Scene 1: Come Paride vezzoso – Belcore (4:09)
06. Act 1 – Scene 1: Or se m´ami, com´io t´amo – Belcore (3:42)
07. Act 1 – Scene 1: Una parola, o Adina – Nemorino (7:04)
08. Act 1 – Scene 2: Che vuol dire cotesta suonata? – Donne (1:36)
09. Act 1 – Scene 2: Udite, udite o rustici – Dulcamara (7:07)
10. Act 1 – Scene 2: Ardir! Ha forse il cielo mandato – Nemorino (0:43)
11. Act 1 – Scene 2: Voglio dire, lo stupendo elisir – Nemorino (6:13)
12. Act 1 – Scene 2: Caro elisir! sei mio! – Nemorino (1:24)
13. Act 1 – Scene 2: Chi è mai quel matto? – Adina (1:45)
14. Act 1 – Scene 2: Esulti pur la barbara – Nemorino (4:10)
15. Act 1 – Scene 2: Tran tran tran tran – Belcore (3:11)
16. Act 1 – Scene 2: Signor sargente – Gianetta (2:37)
17. Act 1 – Scene 2: Adina, credimi, te ne scongiuro – Nemorino (7:06)
cd2
01. Scene 1: Cantiamo, facciam brindisi – Tutti (2:42)
02. Scene 1: Barcarole a due voce – Dulcamara (2:20)
03. Scene 1: Silenzio ! E qua il notaro – Belcore (3:54)
04. Scene 1: La donna e un animale stravagante – Belcore (2:24)
05. Scene 1: Ai perigli della guerra – Nemorino (4:57)
06. Scene 2: Saria possible – Contadine, Giannetta (3:44)
07. Scene 2: Cell ‘elisir mirabile – Nemorino (3:43)
08. Scene 2: Quanto amore! Ed io, spietata – Adina (6:18)
09. Scene 2: Una furtiva lagrima – Nemorino (6:02)
10. Scene 2: Prendi, per me sei libero – Adina (6:47)
11. Scene 2: Alto! Fronte ! Che vedo – Belcore (1:08)
12. Scene 2: Ei corregge ogni difetto – Dulcamara (1:35)

The Artists:

mp3, 320 kbps, cd ripping, 108:57 minutes
Covers, info & synopsis included.

Part1 —–  Part2 —–   Part3

Gaetano Donizetti – Lucia Di Lammermoor

Gaetano Donizetti – Lucia Di Lammermoor
Recorded in July-August 1965 at the RCA Italiana Studios, Roma

About the opera:
Lucia di Lammermoor is a dramma tragico (tragic opera) in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. Salvatore Cammarano wrote the Italian libretto loosely based upon Sir Walter Scott’s historical novel The Bride of Lammermoor.Very successful from creation, today it remains one of the leading bel canto operas. The opera premiered on September 26, 1835 at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples. Donizetti revised the score for a French version which debuted on August 6, 1839 at the Théâtre de la Renaissance in Paris. The best-known pieces in Lucia di Lammermoor are the sextet at the end of Act II and Lucia’s “Mad Scene” in Act III. The “Mad Scene,” “Il dolce suono…Spargi d’amaro pianto,” has historically been a vehicle for several coloratura sopranos (providing a breakthrough for Dame Joan Sutherland) and is a technically and expressively demanding piece. Some sopranos, most notably Maria Callas, have performed the role in a relatively come scritto (“as written”) fashion, adding minimal ornamentation to their interpretations. Most sopranos, however, add ornamentation to demonstrate their technical ability, as was the tradition in the bel canto period. This involves the addition and interpolation of trills, mordents, turns, runs and cadenzas. Almost all sopranos (most famously Joan Sutherland) append cadenzas to the end of the “Mad Scene”, sometimes ending them on a high E-flat. Maria Callas often opted not to sing the E-flat, although she did sing it in some performances conducted by Tullio Serafin. Some sopranos, including Ruth Welting, have sung the mad scene in Donizetti’s original F major key, ending it with a high F natural instead of transposing it one step down to the E-flat major key. For decades Lucia was considered to be a mere showpiece for coloratura sopranos and was a little-known part of the operatic repertory. However, after World War II, a small number of technically-able sopranos, the most notable of whom were Maria Callas and Joan Sutherland, revived the opera in all of its original tragic glory. Sutherland’s performances in the role at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in 1959 and repeated in 1960 established Lucia as her calling card.

Track List:
cd1:
01. ACT I Scene 1: Percorrete le spiagge vicine (4:53)
02. ACT I Scene 1: Tu sei turbato ! (2:34)
03. ACT I Scene 1: Cruda, funesta smania (2:41)
04. ACT I Scene 1: Oh, giorno ! (1:38)
05. ACT I Scene 1: La pietade in suo favore (3:37)
06. ACT I Scene 1: Ancor non giunse ! (4:02)
07. ACT I Scene 1: Regnava nel silenzio (4:24)
08. ACT I Scene 1: Quando, rapito in estasi (4:19)
09. ACT I Scene 1: Egli s’avanza ! La vicina soglia (2:39)
10. ACT I Scene 1: Sulla tomba che rinserra (3:04)
11. ACT I Scene 1: Qui di sposa eterna fede (7:14)
12. ACT I Scene 2: Lucia fra poco a te verra (2:51)
13. ACT I Scene 2: Appressati, Lucia: il pallor funesto (5:00)
14. ACT I Scene 2: Soffriva nel pianto (3:16)
15. ACT I Scene 2: Che fia? Suonar di giubilo (1:16)
16. ACT I Scene 2: Se tradirmi tu potrai (3:16)
17. ACT I Scene 2: Ebben? Di tua speranza (2:02)
18. ACT I Scene 2: Ah, cedi, cedi, o piu sciagure (2:21)
19. ACT I Scene 2: Al ben de’ tuoi, qual vittima (3:59)

cd2:
01. ACT I Scene 2: Per te d’immenso giubIIo (3:32)
02. ACT I Scene 2: Dov’ e Lucia ? (4:07)
03. ACT I Scene 2: Chi mi frena in tal momento ? (3:29)
04. ACT I Scene 2: T’allontana, sciagurato… (5:58)
05. ACT II Scene 1: Orrida e questa notte (2:49)
06. ACT II Scene 1: Qui del padre ancor respira (8:10)
07. ACT II Scene 1: D’ immenso giubIIo s’ innalzi (1:42)
08. ACT II Scene 21: Deh ! Cessate quel contento ! (3:06)
09. ACT II Scene 1: Oh ! qual funesto avvenimento ! (2:35)
10. ACT II Scene : Eccola! II dolce suono (3:13)
11. ACT II Scene 1: Ohime ! sorge II tremendo fantasma (3:06)
12. ACT II Scene 1: Ardon gl’incensi (5:15)
13. ACT II Scene 1: S’avanza Enrico! (3:02)
14. ACT II Scene 1: Spargi d’ amaro pianto (3:57)
15. ACT II Scene 1: Si tragga altrove, Alisa ! (1:31)
16. ACT II Scene 1: Tombe degli avi miei (3:58)
17. ACT II Scene 1: Fra poco a me ricovero (3:22)
18. ACT II Scene 1: Oh, meschina ! oh, fato orrendo ! (4:50)
19. ACT II Scene 1: Tu che Dio spiegasti l’ali (4:20)

The Artists:

Stereo, ADD, mp3, 320 kbps,  137:08 minutes. Covers, info & synopsis included.

Part1Part2Part3Part4