GIOACHINO ROSSINI

Mathilde Di Shabran

 

Annick Massis (Matilde)

Juan Diego Florez (Corradino)

 

Prague Chamber Choir

Orquesta Sinfónica De Galicia / Riccardo Frizza

 

Juan Diego Flórez burst onto the international opera scene in 1996 when he replaced an indisposed singer in the role of Corradino in Mathilde di Shabran at the Pesaro Rossini Festival. Since then the World famous opera festival in Rossini's home town has been Juan Diego's home most Summers.

 

In 2004 Flórez returned to Pesaro to sing the role of Corradino - the brutal, woman-hating Duke in Rossini's rarely performed late opera - this time with acclaimed French bel canto star Annick Massis in the title role, and once again the critics were unanimous in their acclaim.

 

'In 1996 a young tenor named Juan Diego Flórez sang Corradino in Pesaro and soon had an international career. He is back in superb form, hurling coloratura passages as if they were instruments of war'

Financial Times, London (on the Pesaro performances)

 

Rossini's opera was first performed in Rome in 1821, when it was conducted by the famous violinist Paganini

 

Set in Medieval Spain Matilde di Shabran tells of the tyrant Corradino (Flórez) who takes pity on Matilde (Massis), the orphaned daughter of one of his comrades. After she softens the heart of the Duke, she gives her heart to one of his prisoners Edoardo (a role for mezzo-soprano). The brutal Duke's response is to order that she be pushed over the edge of a ravine!

 

It is surely the highly complex plot that has kept Matilde di Shabran off the list of frequently performed Rossini operas. It certainly contains many glorious examples of Rossini at his best, in florid solos, toe-tapping ensembles and his trademark 'tutti' crescendos.

 

Decca 4757688