CD 1 Le nozze di Teti e di Peleo (1639) Atto II, Scena 11 / Venere (MF) 1. Mira questi duo lumi 5’44 2 violins, bass viol, violone, theorbo, 2 archlutes, harp, organ
Atto II, Scena 6 2. Sinfonia di viole a 5 1’40 2 violins, tenor, viol, bass viol, violone, theorbo, archlute (TD), harp
Atto I, Scena 3 / Teti (MF), Meleagro (AR) 3. Hor con pania e con esca 1’26 2 archlutes, theorbo, harp, organ
Gli amori di Apollo e Dafne (1640) Atto I, Scena 8 / Procri (MF) 4. Volgi, deh volgi il piede 7’57 theorbo, archlute (TD), harp, bass viol (FJC), organ
Didone (1641) Atto II, Scena 2 / Iarba (AR), Didone (MF) 5. Didone, ohimè, non mi riceve amante 1’29 6. Re de’ Getuli altero 2’45 2 violins, theorbo, 2 archlutes, harp, organ, bass viol, violone
La virtù dei strali d’Amore (1642) Atto I, Scena 3 / Eumete (MF) 7. Occhi per pianger nati 3’53 theorbo, archlute (TD), bass viol (FJC)
La Rosinda (1651) Atto I, Scena 7 / Nerea (MF) 15. Non col ramo di Cuma 2’26 2 archlutes, theorbo, harp, bass viol, violone, 2 violins
La Calisto (1651) Atto III, Scena 1 / Calisto (MF) 16. Restino imbalsamate 2’18
17. T’aspetto, e tu non vieni 2’46 2 archlutes, theorbo, bass viol (FJC), 2 violins
L’Eritrea (1652) Prologo / Iride (MF) 18. Ne le grotte arimaspe 2’24 2 archlutes, theorbo, harp, bass viol (FJC)
La Veremonda (1652) Atto III, Scena 6 / Zemina (MF), Zaida (AR)
19. Tardano molto? 2’27 Qui si fa il ballo de’ tori*
20. Che rumori, che voci? 2’50 Qui se replica il ballo de’ tori* 2 archlutes, cittern, 2 violins, bass viol, violone, percussions
* Improvisations by Quito Gato (guitar) and Th omas Dunford (archlute)
CD 2 L’Orione (1653) Prologo 1. Sinfonia a 3 1’36 2 violins, bass viol, violone, 2 archlutes, theorbo, organ
Il Ciro (1654) Atto III, Scena ultima /[Arpago, Cleopida, Emlira, Ciro] 2. Mia vita / Mio bene (instrumental version) 1’51 2 archlutes, theorbo, harp, bass viol (FJC)
Xerse (1655) Atto II, Scena, 18 / Adelante (MF) 3. Ed è pur vero, o core 1’45 archlute (TD), theorbo, harp, bass viol (SVO) 4. Luci mie, che miraste 4’01 archlute (TD), theorbo, harp, 2 violins, bass viol, violone
Erismena (1655) Atto I, Scena 4 / Erismena (MF) 5. Speranze voi che siete 2’41 archlute (TD), harp, bass viol (SVO), 2 violins Atto I, Scena 5 / Idraspe (AR), Erismena (MF) 6. O stelle, a che mi sforzate 1’43 theorbo, harp, organ, bass viol (FJC) 7. A me il veleno? 0’52 archlute (TD), harp, bass viol (SVO)
La Statira (1655) Atto II, Scena 9 / Ermosilla (MF) 8. Menfi , mia patria, regno 3’28 archlute (TD), organ, bass viol (SVO), 2 violins
Artemisia (1657) Atto II, Scena 6 / Eurillo (MF), Artemisia (AR), Echo 9. Regina, udiste mai 3’48 archlute (TD), cittern, harp
Hipermestra (1658) Atto III, Scena 14 / Vafrino (MF) 10. Quest’è un gran caso al certo 3’04 2 archlutes, guitar (QG), bass viol (FJC)
Elena (1659) Atto II, Scena 14 / Menelao (AR), Elena (MF) 11. Amazone non son 2’52 archlute (TD), theorbo, harp
The opening of Venice’s first opera house, the Teatro di San Cassiano, in 1637, was one of the major events in the history of opera. The protagonists of these new operas henceforth represented all the social categories making up this public and who, in fact, had to be able to find themselves onstage. The gods were no longer the only ones to lay down the law, challenged by the Vices and Virtues who preached in the Prologues. The new heroes are kings, emperors, dictators, courtesans, as well as nurses, valets, soldiers, philosophers, and, above all, lovers. Whoever they might be, we find them sympathetic or antipathetic - all are glorified, all are ridiculed.
With his 27 existing operas, Francesco Cavalli gives us a fascinating version of this theatre of life. A single main thread runs through the excerpts drawn from each of them by Leonardo García Alarcón: the expression of human passions. They are all there, from ingenuousness to ecstasy, joy to anger, passionate love (and its erotic, sensual expression) to despair.
This fascinating programme represents a new contribution to the knowledge of Cavalli’s operas and helps unveil part of the mystery still surrounding his works.
