Rossini L'Italiana in Algeri
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Gioachino Rossini
Genre:
Opera
Label: Libretto
Magazine Review Date: 1/1992
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 140
Mastering:
ADD
Catalogue Number: 2292-45404-2
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| (L')Italiana in Algeri, '(The) Italian Girl in Algiers' |
Gioachino Rossini, Composer
(I) Solisti Veneti Clara Foti, Zulma, Mezzo soprano Claudio Scimone, Conductor Domenico Trimarchi, Taddeo, Baritone Ernesto Palacio, Lindoro, Tenor Gioachino Rossini, Composer Kathleen Battle, Elvira, Soprano Marilyn Horne, Isabella, Soprano Nicola Zaccaria, Haly, Baritone Prague Philharmonic Chorus Samuel Ramey, Mustafa, Baritone |
Author: Richard Osborne
Of the five currently available recordings of L'italiana in Algeri—conducted, in ascending order of seniority, by Giulini (EMI), Varviso (Decca), Ferro (CBS), Scimone (Erato) and Abbado (DG)—this Scimone set is probably the all-round winner, not least for the expert and exuberant realization of the title-role by Marilyn Horne. Julian Budden thought so when he considered the work in Radio 3 Record Review's ''Building a Library'', and I am inclined to agree, though the Ferro set, with Lucia Valentini Terrani as a rather more placid Italian Girl, is also very fine.
Sadly, Erato dropped from the first CD reissue (8/88) the three alternative arias that Rossini wrote for Vicenza, Milan and Naples, and ''Per lui che adoro'' in its original scoring with flute obbligato. These appeared as fascinating addenda to the original three-LP set in 1981. In 1988 Erato decided against trying to squeeze them on to two CDs; though, tantalizingly, they are still discussed in the excellent booklet note by the editor of the Critical Edition, Azio Corghi.
In the event, this latest CD reissue is a straight re-run of the 1988 one. All that is different is the label logo. This has become Libretto, a shameless innovation given the fact that, once again, Erato provide an Italian text but no English one. Ironically, if you want an English libretto, you will have to ignore Libretto and buy the CBS set instead.'
Sadly, Erato dropped from the first CD reissue (8/88) the three alternative arias that Rossini wrote for Vicenza, Milan and Naples, and ''Per lui che adoro'' in its original scoring with flute obbligato. These appeared as fascinating addenda to the original three-LP set in 1981. In 1988 Erato decided against trying to squeeze them on to two CDs; though, tantalizingly, they are still discussed in the excellent booklet note by the editor of the Critical Edition, Azio Corghi.
In the event, this latest CD reissue is a straight re-run of the 1988 one. All that is different is the label logo. This has become Libretto, a shameless innovation given the fact that, once again, Erato provide an Italian text but no English one. Ironically, if you want an English libretto, you will have to ignore Libretto and buy the CBS set instead.'
Rossini L'Italiana in Algeri
Discover the world's largest classical music catalogue with Presto Music.
Follow us
Gramophone Digital Club
- Digital Edition
- Digital Archive
- Reviews Database
- Full website access
From £8.75 / month
Subscribe
Gramophone Full Club
- Print Edition
- Digital Edition
- Digital Archive
- Reviews Database
- Full website access
From £11.00 / month
Subscribe
If you are a library, university or other organisation that would be interested in an institutional subscription to Gramophone please click here for further information.