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NU 6487
Avondano: Il mondo della luna (Excerpts)
Label Catalogue Number:
8.660487-88
8.660487-88
Running Time: 02:17:18
Release Date: October 2020
Originally recorded in 2019
Originally recorded in 2019
Genre:
Classical
Opera
Classical
Opera
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About
Born in Lisbon of Italian parentage, Pedro António Avondano was employed at the court of Joseph I, becoming Portugal’s leading composer of instrumental music and dances for the royal ballet. Il mondo della luna (‘The World on the Moon’) was a hugely successful libretto by Carlo Goldoni and was set by the likes of Haydn – its comic tale seeing the social climber and strict moralist Buona Fede duped into thinking that he is on the moon. This narrative of illusion in collision with love, jealousy and power struggles is set with sublime lyrical and dramatic transparency by Avondano in this, his only opera.
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Reviews
“…The recording is self-recommending for people with a special interest in late 18th Century comic opera … The musical numbers come across well here, with all the vocalist’s singing nicely on pitch …The instrumental ensemble is smallish … but they play with grace and subtlety. This is a minor but fascinating opera.”
Ralph Locke – American Record Guide – March/April 2021
“… a bright and fast-flowing sequence of tuneful arias, duets and ensembles, wittily scored and never outstaying their welcome… the capable cast work well together. Fernando Guimaráes (as the false astronomer Ecclitico) is perhaps the best known … but Joáo Pedro Cabral’s Ernesto equals his tenorial eleasticity and surpasses him in freshness. As for the daughters, Susana Gaspar’s wiry soprano contrasts nicely with Carla Caramujo’s richer mezzo …”
Christopher Webber – Opera – May 2021
Recommended
“A fine ensemble cast enhance a recording that is particularly notable for the lively and unusual achievement in the recitatives which reveals a rare comic work.”
Mike Parr – MusicWeb-International.com – 17 December 2020
“… The recording uses a shortened Italian version. The ensemble Os Musicos do Tejo, founded by Marcos Magalhaes, plays on historical instruments. Already the Sinfonia is exciting. The music celebrates the onomatopoeic farce, whereby its charm only develops in the second act. The arias are based on short themes and concise phrases and are supported by a variable and atmospheric use of instruments. The Portuguese ensemble skilfully picks up the drastic humour as well as the melodrama with hearty duets and lively ensembles, also with the choir. In the role of Buona Fede, the bass Luis Rodrigues is an excellent buffo. His daughters, sopranos, are no less pleasing. Carla Caramujo has a light voice, while Susana Gaspar’s voice has more colour and body, but also some sharper tones. Their lovers are the tenors Joao Pedro Cabral as Ernesto and Fernando Guimaraes as Ecclitico. With the rapturous aria Un poco di denaro Guimaraes lets an appropriately lively voice be heard…” *****
Uwe Krusch – Pizzicato.lu – 16 November 2020
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