• Vivaldi La Folia
• Vivaldi Lite
• Vivaldi Lion

Review by: Robert Levine

Vivaldi triumphed, and L’Estro armonico became the most influential music publication during the first half of the 18th century. Here Ottavio Dantone and the Accademia Bizantina offer stylish, expert performances of Concertos 1-6 on this first volume of their complete cycle for Arts Music.

L'Estro Armonico is a title that defies translation; neither The Harmonic Fancy nor The Musical Flush suggests quite the right combination of genius and fantasy that prompted Estienne Roger, the shrewdest of the 18th-century publishers, to issue this set of twelve concertos in 1711. Prior to this, Vivaldi's only printed works had been two sets of sonatas published in Venice: twelve trio. Listen to Vivaldi: Complete Concertos & Sonatas Opp. 1 by L'Arte Dell'Arco & Federico Guglielmo on Apple Music. Stream songs including 'Trio Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, RV 73: I. Grave', 'Trio Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, RV 73: II. Allegro' and more.

This is the first complete recording of this opera. A somewhat abbreviated version was available on Nuova Era a while ago, nicely led by René Clemencic and featuring some very odd singing by a male soprano in the role of Aminta, the servant of our hero, Licida, which was sung by counter-tenor Gerard Lesne. While those two bits of casting probably are more historically correct (the roles were taken by castrati at the premiere in 1740), the performers on this new recording, a female soprano (Laura Giordano) and female contralto (Sara Mingardo), are far better singers and are thoroughly believable. Enough about that.

Find album reviews, stream songs, credits and award information for Vivaldi: L'Estro Armonico - 12 Concertos Op. 3 - Fabio Biondi, Europa Galante on AllMusic - 1998. Vivaldiブラウザはトラッカーと広告をブロックし、速くて安全なプライバシー保護ブラウザ。カスタマイズと便利機能で、毎日のネット作業がさらにスムーズに。Windows, macOS, Linux, AndroidでVivaldi！.

The opera takes place around the Olympic games: King Clistene (baritone Riccardo Novaro) has promised his daughter Aristea (contralto Sonia Prina) to the winner, but she loves, and is loved by, Megacle (soprano Roberta Invernizzi). Into this mix comes Argene (mezzo Marianna Kulikova), who was romantically linked to Licida, who now loves Aristea; but because Licida has no chance of winning the Games he asks his friend Megacle to play, disguised as him. Megacle wins, but Aristea thinks it’s Licida and is downcast since she loves Megacle; Argene tells the king about the switcheroo of identities. Licida is exiled but is later discovered to be the king’s long-lost son. He’s pardoned, he weds Argene, and Aristea and Megacle wed too. Alcandro (bass Sergio Foresti) is a confidant of Clistene’s and shows up occasionally.

The performance is first rate, with Rinaldo Alessandrini leading his Concerto Italiano with verve and the type of clean attacks that this rambling plot requires. The secret is to make each recitative and aria an event, and he knows how to achieve just that. Most of the arias are scored for strings alone (in different formations) but there’s never a sameness; when the winds show up they’re very effective. Most of the arias are short–unlike those in many other Vivaldi operas–and tend to be allegro or faster; the action seems quicker than it is.

Sara Mingardo as Licida almost walks away with the show; her stunning contralto is used with grace and power and she gives us this character’s many facets. Laura Giordano’s pretty, light soprano gets through the showpiece “Siam navi all’onde” in Act 2 with incredible ease and virtuosity, and if she tends to undercharacterize elsewhere, it’s the libretto’s fault. Roberta Invernizzi is a strong, noble Megacle, the good friend and winner, and Sonia Prina sings Aristea’s pretty, nice-girl music with radiant mid-range tone. The lower voices and mezzo Kulikova are all good but lack distinction. Vivaldi and/or Baroque opera fans will need no coaxing to buy this set; others might have to work a bit getting used to the format. But I doubt this performance will be bettered.

Recording Details:

Reference Recording: this one

• Sara Mingardo, Sonia Prina (contralto)
  Marianna Kulikova (mezzo-soprano)
  Laura Giordano (soprano)
  Riccardo Novaro (baritone)
  Sergio Foresti (bass)
  
• Alessandrini, Rinaldo (conductor)

• Opus 111 - OP30316
• CD

Review by: John Greene

Vivaldi La Folia

While his contemporaries’ opinions were mixed regarding Vivaldi’s compositional abilities, all were in agreement that as a violinist his skill and expertise were unsurpassed. In 1712, when he was 34, Vivaldi sealed that reputation with L’Estro armonico, a set of 12 concertos purposefully designed to wow the cognoscenti throughout Europe as well as (according to contemporary accounts) satisfy the composer’s insatiable ego. More than for any previous work, Vivaldi took great care to choose the finest publisher on the continent (Estienne Roger in Amsterdam), dedicating the work to one of Italy’s most important patrons (Ferdinand III of Tuscany). But most importantly, he composed one of the richest, most challenging, and musically varied collections of string concertos offered to date. Vivaldi triumphed, and L’Estro armonico became the most influential music publication during the first half of the 18th century.

Here Ottavio Dantone and the Accademia Bizantina offer stylish, expert performances of Concertos 1-6 on this first volume of their complete cycle for Arts Music. For example, their incisive staccato passages of the opening Adagio e spiccato of the Concerto No. 2 are exceptionally well articulated with an impressive variety of dynamic and textural detail. The exuberant first Allegro of the Third concerto (featuring one of Vivaldi’s most famous melodies) is joyously punctuated with Baroque guitar and harpsichord accents, often amid severely delineated ensemble rhythms that rival the urgency of Fabio Biondi and Europa Galante’s equally striking performance. As you might expect, there also are plenty of flashy violin sequences where one or more of the soloists (Vivaldi varied the number from one to four) can display their virtuosity. In the two Allegros of the Fifth concerto, for instance, violin soloists Stefano Montanari and Fiorenza De Donatis have a field day negotiating the wild cadenza-like passages and breathtaking multiple stops. These splendid performances are complemented by Arts’ crisp and clear engineering, and Stefano Aresi’s informative notes highlight many of the unorthodox creative risks Vivaldi took in composing his masterpiece.

Recording Details:

Reference Recording: Europa Galante (Virgin)

ANTONIO VIVALDI - L'Estro Armonico Op. 3: Concerto No. 1 in D major; No. 2 in G minor; No. 3 in G major; No. 4 in E minor; No. 5 in A major; No. 6 in A minor

• Stefano Montanari, Fiorenza De Donatis, Paolo Zinzani, & Laura Mirri (violin)
  Mauro Valli (cello)
  
• Dantone, Ottavio (conductor)

• Arts Music - 47646-2
• CD

Vivaldi Lite

Vivaldi Lion