• 3564
• Articles
• 17 Dic 2018

In the beginning of the nineteenth century opera seria, the tenor was beginning to be accepted for the role of the young lover or hero in place of the castrato, but the more common option was to use women in pants roles, especially contraltos. These women sung the roles originally written for castrati, but new […]

• 3495
• Articles
• 17 Dic 2018

Several tenors made it into the opera history books because of their importance and contribution to the art. In the first half of the nineteenth century and Bel Canto era, most of them were either Italian of French. The styles, although initially very different, were being combined in the search for the more exciting and […]

• 3504
• Articles
• 17 Dic 2018

On December 12, 1832, exactly 186 years ago, Andrea Nozzari died in Naples: besides being the first Otello in the homonymous opera by Gioachino Rossini (dated 1816), he is remembered above all for his particular voice, to the point that we can speak of the “baritenore” par excellence. Briefly reviewing his biography can help us […]

• 2430
• Articles
• 17 Dic 2018

The Rossini vocalism is still closely linked to the belcanto ideal that sees the primacy of the voice on the other components of the opera: the singer is coauthor with the composer and in his arias he is free to improvise. With Rossini, who begins to write all the “colorature”, the phase of the singer’s […]

• 2392
• Articles
• 17 Dic 2018

Maria Callas as Armida Dr. Robert Seletsky, a distinguished musical scholar, questions the attribution to Maria Callas of a “revival of forgotten repertoire and the performance traditions that accompanied it.” He notes that many of the works cited to bolster this assertion (including Il Turco in Italia, Il pirata, and Anna Bolena) had been produced […]

• 2090
• Articles
• 17 Dic 2018

17th century France played a crucial role in the development of the European fairy tale. During the last half of that century, the oral traditions of the folk began to bubble up into the literary salons of the haute bourgeoisie and the aristocracy orbiting around Louis the XIV’s court. While writers like Marie Catherine d’Aulnoy, […]

• 2053
• Articles
• 17 Dic 2018

The origin of the Tristan myth is lost in antiquity. The Welsh Triads, of unknown date, but very ancient, know of one Drystan ab Tallwch, the lover of Essylt the wife of March, as a steadfast lover and a mighty swineherd. It is indubitably Celtic-Breton, Irish, or Welsh. There were different versions of the story, […]

• 3353
• Articles
• 24 Nov 2018

“Udite! Amanti udite” – Cantata for Basso e Basso Continuo – Benedetto Marcello (1686 – 1739) – LIVE in Concert Prague (Cz) June 𝟣0, 20𝟣8 – Excerpt. Baritone Luca Casagrande Scarlatti Camera Ensemble – Centaurus Music Int. LIVE Recording 20𝟣8 Artistic Director and Producer Luca Casagrande Exclusive Copyright Luca Casagrande. – “Udite! Amanti udite” Udite […]

• 1505
• Articles
• 24 Nov 2018

“Chi non prova star lontano” – Cantata a voce sola e Basso Continuo – Antonio Cesti (1623 – 1669) – WORLD PREMIERE RECORDING. Centaurus Music Int. Studio Recording “Antonio Cesti – Aspettate! Adesso canto – Cantate” – WORLD PREMIERE RECORDING – Remastered edition ℗ 2018. First remastering 20𝟣3 – First releasing 2004 © Luca Casagrande. […]

• 2086
• Articles
• 24 Nov 2018

“Adieux à la vie!” from “Péchés de vieillesse” (1857-1860s?) – II. Album français N.° 9 – “Elégie (sur une seule note)” [orig. written to text Mi lagnerò tacendo]. “Péchés de vieillesse” first edition 1873 in part and 1880 or so in (almost?) full – Paris, Heugel. Centaurus Music Int. Studio Recording “Une soirée chez Monsieur […]