Composer: Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi
Performer: Cappella Mediterranea, Mariana Flores, Valerio Contaldo, Nicholas Scott, Carlo Vistoli, Alessandro Giangrande, Giuseppina Bridelli, Ana Quitans, Salvo Vitale, Philippe Favette, Alejandro Meerapfel, Chœur de Chambre de Namur
Conductor: Leonardo García Alarcón
Number of Discs: 2
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Alpha
Catalogue: ALPHA720
Release: 2021
Size: 2.22 gB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
L’Orfeo, SV 318
CD 01
01. Toccata
02. Prologo – Dal mio permesso amato
Act 1
03. No. 1, In questo lieto e fortunato giorno
04. No. 2, Vieni Imeneo, deh vieni
05. No. 3, Muse, onor di Parnaso
06. No. 4, Lasciate i monti
07. No. 5, Ma tu, gentil cantor
08. No. 6, Rosa del ciel
09. No. 7, Io no dirò qual sia
10 .No. 8, Lasciate i monti
11. No. 9, Ritornello
12. No. 10, Vieni Imeneo, deh vieni
13. No. 11, Ma s’il nostro gioir dal Ciel deriva
14. No. 12, Ritornello
15. No. 13, Alcun non sia che disperato in preda
16. No. 14, Ritornello
17. No. 15, Che poi che nembo rio gravido il seno
18. No. 16, Ritornello
19. No. 17, E dopo l’aspro gel del Verno ignudo
20. No. 18, Ecco Orfeo
Act 2
21. No. 1, Sinfonia
22. No. 2, Ecco pur ch’a voi ritorno
23. No. 3, Ritornelli – Mira ch’a sé n’alletta l’ombra
24. No. 4, Ritornello
25. No. 5, In questo prato adorno – Ritornello
26. No. 6, Ritornelli – Qui le Napee vezzose
27. No. 7, Dunque fa degno Orfeo
28. No. 8, Ritornelli – Vi ricorda, o bosch’ombrosi
29. No. 9, Mira, deh mira Orfeo
30. No. 10, Ahi caso acerbo
31. No. 11, D’onde vieni?
32. No. 12, In un fiorito prato
33. No. 13, Ahi caso acerbo!
34. No. 14, Tu se’ morta
35. No. 15, Ahi caso acerbo!
36. No. 16, Ma io, ch’in questa lingua
37. No. 17, Sinfonia
38. No. 18, Chi ne consola, ahi lassi?
39. No. 19, Ahi caso acerbo!
40. No. 20, Ma dove, ah dove or sono de la misera ninfa
41. No. 21, Ahi caso acerbo!
42. No. 22, Ritornello
CD 02
Act 3
01. No. 1, Sinfonia
02. No. 2, Scorto da te, mio Nume
03. No. 3, Ecco l’altra palude
04. No. 4, Ecco l’altra palude
05. No. 5, O tu ch’innanzi morta a questa rive
06. No. 6, Sinfonia
07. No. 7, Possente spirto, e formidabil nume
08. No. 8, Ben mi lusinga alquanto
09. No. 9, Ahi, sveturato amante
10. No. 10, Sinfonia
11. No. 11, Ei dorme
12. No. 12, Sinfonia a 7
13. No. 13, Nulla impresa per uom si tenta invano
14. No. 14, Sinfonia a 7
Act 4
15. No. 1, Signor, quell’infelice
16. No. 2, Benché severo ed immutabil fato
17. +No. 3, O degli abitator de l’ombre eterne
18. No. 4, Quagli grazie ti rendo
19. No. 5, Tue soave parole
20. No. 6, Pietade, oggi
21. No. 7, Ecco il gentil cantore
22. No. 8, Ritornelli – Qual honor di te fia degno
23. No. 9, Ma che odo?
24. No. 10, Ahi, vista troppo dolce e troppo amara
25. No. 11, Dove te’n vai, mia vita?
26. No. 12, Sinfonia a 7
27. No. 13, È la virtute un raggio
28. No. 14, Sinfonia a 7
Act 5
29. No. 1, Ritornello
30. No. 2, Questi i campi di Tracia
31. No. 3, S’hai del mio mal pietade
32. No. 4, Tu bella fusti e saggia
33. No. 5, Hor l’altre donne son superbe e perfide
34. No. 6, Sinfonia
35. No. 7, Perch’a lo sdegno
36. No. 8, Saliam cantando al cielo
37. No. 9, Ritornello
38. No. 10, Vanne Orfeo, felice a pieno
39. No. 11, Moresca
Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo is naturally an iconic work for Leonardo García Alarcón. The Argentinian conductor has performed and matured his interpretation of Monteverdi’s masterpiece throughout his life. Together with his group of soloists, the Namur Chamber Choir and the Cappella Mediterranea ensemble, he now presents his vision of L’Orfeo: Monteverdi’s opera is as much the apotheosis of the Renaissance as a testimony to the nascent Baroque style. This is what strikes us when we listen to this new recording, which so eloquently emphasises the contrasts between sometimes nostalgic glances towards the past and the most innovative expressions of operatic language. The printed score, published two years after the premiere in Mantua in 1607, offers contrasts too: is it the snapshot of a specific performance or a “blueprint” intended for future performers? In fact, it is both, and that is where we find the tricky questions that must be answered by those who open this precious document; Leonardo García Alarcón does so here in a manner at once respectful, inventive and theatrical.