Opera Proibita 2006Celebrity Concert
Read more about the opera Concert
This memorable Sunday evening Celebrity Concert brought Cecilia Bartoli to Scotland for the first time.
The programme was a very full one, under the title Opera Proibita - focussing on the fact that in the early days of opera the authorities in Rome frowned on it as an art form. The result was that the composers who worked there in the early eighteenth century developed an interesting form of dramatic oratorio, including young Handel, on his study tour from Germany.
Bartoli was on amazing form, backed up by the excellent Freiburg band with director/violinist Petra Mullejans. It was a lengthy programme that exhibited the singer's virtuosic skills in a comprehensive manner, and also included a generous selection of encores. The packed audience was understandably hugely enthusiastic, in spite of the fact that nearly every item was receiving its first performance locally. However, a few of the Handel melodies, at least, would be recycled into his later London works, to memorable effect.
The programme was as follows:
A Scarlatti Qui resta....L’alta Roma San Filippo Neri.
Caldara Vanne pentita a piangere Il Trionfo dell’Innocenza.
Sparga il senso lascivo veleno La Castita al Cimento.
Overture Santa Francesca Romana.
A Scarlatti Caldo sangue Sedecia, re di Gerusalemme.
Ahi! Qual cordoglio. Doppio affetto Sedecia, re di Gerusalemme.
Handel Sonate del Overtura Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno.
Chiudi, chiudi Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno.
Lascia la spina, cogli la rosa Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno.
Come nembo che fugge Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno .
Corelli Concerto Grosso in F, op6 no12.
Caldara Ahi quanto cieca....Come foco Il Martirio di Santa Caterina.
Si, piangete, pupille dolenti Santa Francesca Romana.
Handel Introduction to Part 2 La Resurrezione.
Un leggiadro giovinetto Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno.
Io sperai trovar nel vero Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno.
Disseratevi, o porte d’Averno La Risurrezione.
Bononcini Ombra mai fu Xerse (encore).
Handel La Tempesta Giulio Cesare (encore).
? Unidentified (encore).
Handel Disseratevi, o porte d’Averno (repeat).
