ROSSINI

 

La donna del lago

 

Carmen Giannattasio, Kenneth Tarver

Patricia Bardon, Gregory Kunde

Robert Gleadow, Francesca Sassu, Mark Wilde

Edinburgh Festival Chorus,

Scottish Chamber Orchestra / Maurizio Benini

 

“Carmen Giannattasio – a prima donna is born”

(Andrew Clark of the Financial Times, reviewing the concert performance)

 

Rossini’s La donna del lago (Naples, 1819) was not only the first Italian opera to be based on a work by Sir Walter Scott, the narrative poem The Lady of the Lake: it was also a milestone in the development of romanticism in Italian opera.  Still to this day, we cannot fail to respond when Rossini writes an enchanting aubade for his Elena as, making her first appearance, she rows her skiff across the placid mountain waters of Loch Katrine. Still today, we are stirred as the Scottish chieftain Roderick Dhu gathers his warrior clansmen, and a chorus of bards fires them with courage and daring.

 

The seventh of nine operas which Rossini wrote for the Royal Theatres of Naples, La donna del lago was composed for Isabella Colbran, the Spanish soprano who, in 1822, became his wife; for Giovanni David and Andrea Nozzari, two tenors who, since they were stable members of the San Carlo company throughout these years, became associated for all time with his operas; and for Rosmunda Pisaroni, one of the great mezzo-sopranos of the age who specialised in male travestì roles. Created by four singers of such extraordinary accomplishment, it is little wonder that La donna del lago proved one of the most successful of all Rossini’s serious operas.

 

Recorded at the 2006 Edinburgh International Festival, with the Edinburgh Festival Chorus and Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the opera is conducted by Maurizio Benini and will be released to coincide with the stunning young soprano Carmen Giannattasio’s June performances in the title role at this year’s Garsington festival.

 

The 3CD set comes with complete ballet music and a lavishly illustrated book including a complete libretto with an English translation. Bel canto specialist Jeremy Commons gives a superb account of the story behind the opera and its composition.

 

Opera Rara 3cds ORC34