Jordi Savall's superb and critically praised recording of Vivaldi's Farnace on his label Alia Vox is reissued by Naïve and the Vivaldi Edition. Featuring a sterling cast led in the title role by Furio Zanasi, with Le Concert Des Nations directed by Savall.
As the Vivaldi Edition moves ahead in its goal to release all the existing operas of Vivaldi, Naïve are proud to welcome Jordi Savall's wonderful recording of Vivaldi's Farnace to the collection. The exceptional cast includes Furio Zanasi as Farnace, contralto Sara Mingardo as his wife, and the daughter of the villainess of the opera, Farnace's arch-rival, Queen Berenice, soprano Adriana Fernández. Farnace's plot is a typically 18th-century opera narrative and combines themes including family discord, high politics, hate, love, and forgiveness.
Recorded live at the Teatro de la Zarzuela in Madrid in October 2001, Jordi Savall leads his period instrument ensemble, Les Concert des Nations, and the Coro del Teatro de la Zarzuela, in an interpretation of Vivaldi's masterpiece widely acknowledged as a phenomenal achievement. The 2002 recording included arias by the Spanish composer Francesco Corselli which were found in the performing edition used in Madrid in 1739. For this release, these have been eliminated, thereby allowing a faithful representation of the 1731 manuscript of this opera as conceived in Vivaldi's hand.
Personnel:
Le Concert Des Nations, Jordi Savall (director), Furio Zanasi (baritone), Sara Mingardo (contralto), Adriana Fernández (soprano), Gloria Banditelli (contralto), Cinzia Forte (soprano), Fulvio Bettini (baritone), Coro del Teatro de la Zarzuela, Antionio Fauró (chorus master)