Vivaldi: Soprano Arias / Kozena

Magdalena Kožená; Venice Baroque Orchestra / Andrea Marcon

Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741): Tito Manlio - "Sonno, se pur sei sonno"; Juditha Triumphans, R.644 - "Armatae face"; La verità in cimento - Solo quella guancia bella; Il Farnace - Gelido in ogni vena; Arsilda Regina di Ponto R.700 (1716) - Tornar voglio al primo ardore; Orlando furioso RV 728; Sol da te, mio dolce amore; Ottone in Villa - Misero spirto mio / Nel profondo; Il Farnace - Forse o caro in questi accenti; La verità in cimento; Cara sorte di chi nata; Griselda - dramma per musica; Ho il cor già lacero; L'incoronazione di Dario, R.719; Non mi lusinga vana speranza; L'Orlando Finto Pazzo; Lo stridor, l'orror; Anderò, volerò, griderò; L'Olimpiade- Mentre dormi, Amor formenti

In 2007, Magdalena Kozena released a wonderful disc of Handel arias, and followed it up in 2008 with a disc of Czech artsongs from her homeland. Now in 2009, Kozena has returned to the Baroque with this disc of hand-picked Vivaldi arias on the Arkiv label. Joined again by the Venice Baroque Orchestra, conducted by Andrea Marcon, Kozena digs into the depths of Vivaldi's operatic output and creates a portrait of the Venetian Master's dramatic music. I am still amazed at how little is known about Vivaldi's operas. Time and again, box sets are put out of vivaldi's 'Masterworks' which include all the music for strings, and concertos and such, but never are the operas represented. Discs like this prove these box sets wrong. Kozena is in fine voice and she takes us through arias from Farnace, Orlando furioso, Griselda, and L'Olimpiade. One of the treats is the aria 'Gelido in Ogni Vena' from Farnace. It is an aria based on Vivaldi's own movement of 'Winter' from his Four Seasons. The CD is well sung and well played. A fine addition to opera and vocal collections.

Price: $15.98