In 1778 Antonio Salieri’s Europa riconosciuta became the first work to be performed at the Milanese theatre later known as the Teatro alla Scala. Despite this honour, Europa riconosciuta (Europa recognised) remained unperformed for 226 years until 2004, when Riccardo Muti, then Music Director of La Scala, chose it to reopen the legendary theatre after three years of renovation work. “I love Salieri," Diana Damrau has said. "He was an important man and a musical authority in Vienna, a teacher and an heir to Gluck as a successful opera composer. And, like Mozart, he was a dramatist in music. Europa Riconosciuta is masterly in its construction and builds up step by step. It's a thriller!” Further vocal thrills were provided by another radiant coloratura soprano Désirée Rancatore, by two further Italians – the heroic mezzo Daniela Barcelona and the elegant lyric tenor Giuseppe Sabbatini – and by the creamy-voiced Austrian soprano Genia Kühmeier. This is a completely unique product. This is the first appearance of this opera on DVD, and it has a star-studded cast, so is sure to be a must-have for all collectors of Classical opera.
A**A
RUN TO GET IT!
I tried to find decent commercial reviews for this rare performance of a rare opera and found more references to who was there (From Berlusconi to Sophia Loren and Giorgio Armani) and to the movie "Amadeus" than I did about the production or the singing. The production showed off La Scala's renovated status, impressive indeed. I was not bored for a minute. And when it comes to the singing . . . . what a showstopper! Four female voices at the top of their ranges, something really out of this world. I was particularly impressed with Désirée Rancatore's Semele, fir I had not heard her previously. This is a treasure, particularly because it is the only Salieri opera to make it to DVD.Thanks to the reader who pointed me in the direction of Salieri's Falstaff. It thn led me to a THIRD opera, Tarate. All are top notch.
K**G
Attractive Music, Goof Performance
Originally written for the grand opening of La Scala. Not heard since. This performance was for the reopening of La Scala after renovations. Excellent performance, singing, staging, costumes, etc. Though a recording of a live performance the audience was very quiet. Though not one of Salieri's big hits I found the music very good. Some excellent arias & duets. Quite entertaining & another example of just how good a composer Salieri was.
C**S
Only Salieri!
Lush production of the Antonio Salieri opera, at La Scala, good sets, good to excellent singing, all you would want from a soprano of the caliber of Diana Damrau, but in the end, I was let down. When tom Hulce in "Amadeus" responds to Salieri's question how he liked his opera, TH as Mozart replies, "What can I say? Salieri!" Alas, history elevates true merit, and buries mediocrity. Overall, the rich production repairs the so-so music somewhat. I promise to re-watch. Then I will come back...
C**L
Tedious
Three of us watched this together. We agreed that much of the singing was spectacularly good. And much of the production was interesting to watch--La Scala seemed to have pulled out all the stops. But on the whole we found the story and the pacing tedious, not helped by a ballet that seemed to go on forever. I am not sorry I watched this--always wondered about Salieri, and I did rather like Tarare. But this is one of few 200-some opera dvds I own that I have decided that I will not watch again.
L**R
Rare and underrated!
A very rare Opera by Antonio Salieri finally unearthed and being released on DVD. Just as Salieri's music, it is underrated and deserve more attention! A must-have if you love Baroque music.
E**B
A must have!
A must have!Beautiful singing, acting, dancing.Love the ballet scenes!
M**E
Un'edizione molto riuscita
Che dire di questo dvd che il maestro Muti, insieme alla Erato, ci regala della rappresentazione di quest'opera semi-sconosciuta con cui è stata riaperta la Scala di Milano tredici anni or sono dopo i noti lavori di ristrutturazione, come fu alla sua prima rappresentazione che inaugurò il celeberrimo teatro milanese nel 1778? Indubbiamente da un punto di vista musicale non siamo certo all'altezza dei capolavori mozartiani coevi e successivi, ma comunque basta e avanza per evidenziare le qualità dei cantanti e l'eccellente orchestrazione del compositore lombardo trapiantato a Vienna. Tra i solisti di questa incisione spiccano i due soprani, l'allora giovane Diana Damrau e l'emergente (di lusso) siciliana Desirée Rancatore che hanno sfoggiato qualità virtuosistiche che le hanno portate a diventare protagoniste (soprattutto la tedesca) della scena musicale negli anni successivi. A pari livello il mezzo/contralto Daniela Barcellona, già fuoriclasse del suo ruolo nei panni "en travesti" del principe Isseo. Un poco al di sotto delle altre protagoniste il tenore Sabbatini, voce squillante e priva sostanzialmente di incertezze ma decisamente nasale e non sempre ben comprensibile. All'altezza tutti gli altri comprimari ed il magnifico coro, spesso protagonista della trama, diretto dal Maestro Casoni. Ciliegina sulla torta il balletto alla fine del primo atto con due star, pardon étoiles, del valore di Alessandra Ferri e un giovanissimo Roberto Bolle con l'ottimo corpo di ballo del teatro alla Scala. Tutti i complessi sono stati diretti benissimo da uno smagliante (ma lo è tuttora) Riccardo Muti, che di lì a poco purtroppo sarebbe stato costretto "politicamente" ad abbandonare il gran teatro milanese dopo quasi vent'anni di splendida direzione artistica e musicale. Molto appropriata la regia del compianto Luca Ronconi, a suo agio con questo tipo di messinscene "epiche". Uno spettacolo insomma molto ben riuscito per l'occasione e con una ripresa video per l'epoca (ante HD) ottima.
J**.
Salieri el desconocido
Una lástima no haberse acordado de los españoles, valoro con 4 estrellas ya que no tiene subtítulos en español. Cosas positivas: el decorado es novedoso, es una gran opera, grandes arias y con abundante coloratura. Solo la aria "Ah lo sento" vale el precio del DVD. Muy recomendable.
A**S
Oeuvre intéressante servie par de bonnes chanteuses
Oeuvre intéressante dont la musique fait immanquablement penser à du Mozart...certes sans la pointe de génie mélodique du salzbourgeois et surtout sans son extraordinaire capacité à caractériser musicalement chaque personnage ; mais tout de même c'est de la bonne musique, à la fois brillante et dramatique. Il s'agit d'un opera seria, que l'on pourrait comparer à Idomeneo, à peu près contemporain, de Mozart, notamment par son usage assez important du chœur, un peu à la française. Il est très court (une bonne heure et demie pour l'opéra proprement dit, plus un ballet entre les deux actes, qui coupe un peu l'action), l'intrigue est donc assez ramassée et va à l'essentiel, ce qui est plutôt une bonne chose. Chaque finale d'acte est très développé, suivant l'action au plus près (innovation que l'on attribue souvent à tort à Mozart ; en réalité c'est une pratique tout à fait courante dans l'opera buffa, par contre c'est exceptionnel dans un opera seria). Oeuvre d'un grand interêt donc, sans être un chef-d'oeuvre non plus.La prestation de Riccardo Muti et de l'orchestre de la Scala me semble un peu routinière et discrète. C'est assez dans la manière du maestro de laisser un maximum de place aux voix, et il n'a pas forcément tort, mais aujourd'hui nos oreilles sont tellement habituées aux ensemble baroques plus dynamiques qu'on on demande un peu plus. Par contre les 4 chanteuses (dont deux jouant des rôles de castrats ; il y a aussi un ténor dans la distribution) élèvent le niveau, avec un duel assez extraordinaire entre Diana Damrau et Désirée Rancatore, rivalisant de vocalises incroyables et de notes régulièrement au-dessus du contre-ut (jusqu'au contre-fa# à plusieurs reprises!!). Si la voix de Damrau, mieux maîtrisée dans tous les registres, plus veloutée et expressive, reporte la palme, les 3 autres chanteuses sont également excellentes.La mise en scène, moderne, est malheureusement assez moche (en particulier les costumes des soldats qui ressemblent à des motards sortis d'une bd), minimaliste au niveau des décors et très statique. Le peu d'éléments de décors se déplacent un peu dans tous les sens (certainement pour montrer les nouvelles machines de scène de la Scala qui venait alors d'être restaurée), mais les chœurs, qui auraient pu être utilisés pour remplir l'espace et ajouter du dramatisme dans les scènes de foule, ne sont jamais sur scène, mais en-dessous, celle-ci se soulevant lorsqu'ils chantent.Cela dit, on a déjà vu bien pire, l'histoire est totalement respectée et il n'y a aucune incohérence.Au final donc, l'oeuvre est intéressante mais ne mérite pas 5 étoiles, et la mise en scène encore moins ; je mets 4 étoiles pour l'excellente interprétation vocale et le plaisir de la découverte.
I**S
Lots of Lead Ladies, but pretty good.
The style as one might expect is somewhat Mozartian. There is a lot of recitative to progress the storyline, which is a mix of love and power and trading one for the other. There are five characters, Europa, her husband Asteria, Semele , queen of Tyre who has to choose a husband to be King, Isseo prospective consort to Semele Egisto, an adventuring opportunist Phoenician.The only male artist is the latter, Sabbatini, the other four are all ladies, the two male parts originally written for Castrati, but presumably there is a shortage of counter tenors or alto tenors. It does mean that there is a lack of variation in voice tone, but Daniela Barcellona is a mezzo which helps a bit.The costumes are strange, apart from the two ladies who have evening dresses, the rest of the cast including chorus and extras have motor cycle leathers, some with crash helmets.The set which modifies with quite impressive roll on roll off features including stepped plinths and scaffolding represents changes of venue. but without recourse to the notes one would be hard pressed to guess what they are.The artistes however are all in good voice, Diana Damrau being a particular favourite of mine, and Desiree Rancatore also very listenable.There is also at the end of act 1 an extensive ballet, I am not sure where it fits in to the story, or even if it does but the music, costume and choreography are very entertaining.I know that I am whingeing on a bit, but I think you should know what to expect. Despite this it is very enjoyable, and a welcome addition to my library and I am sure I will give it many an airing.The booklet, small white print on black is not easily readable, but does give scene by scene synopsis, but ignores the ballet. However the lead dancers are credited in the front of the book. Apart from the English synopsis, the character descriptions are in I think Italian, but with a bit of reference to the internet can be worked out.
P**A
L'Europa Riconosciuta - Muti 2004
Interessantissima opera del periodo classico riproposta in un bell'allestimento del Teatro alla Scala. Gli interpreti (cantanti, corpo di ballo, orchestra, direzione e regia) sono tutti di assoluto valore artistico. Per gli appassionati di lirica questo DVD è imperdibile!
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