Mercadante: Elena Da Feltre
Label: ANDANTE Catalog: 8225064/65 Format: CD Poor Mercadante! He had the misfortune in the early portion of his life to be overshadowed by Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti, and in the latter part, by Verdi. He did not deserve such obscurity. Like his countryman Giovanni Pacini, he produced a number of deserving stage works, several of which greatly merit reviving from time to time. His acknowledged masterpiece is IL GIURAMENTO, available in several performances on silver disc. ELENA DA FELTRE comes from his later period, or "reform" period, and represents him at his best in every way. This Wexford Festival producion is quite nicely done, with excellent notes, a keyed plot summary, cast information, and a translated libretto. The singing is on a high order...in particular Monica Colonna, the Elena of the title. All account themselves well. Marco Polo has done an excellent job in presenting this, as has Wexford. In particular, let's single out Elena's scena/cavatina "Del tremendo Ezzelin...Ah! si del tenero," certainly a dramatic and musical highlight of the opera [Mercadante re-wrote it for a later performance, and that revision is also available on an Opera Rara release]. And Elena's final death scene is equally moving. Indeed, in ELENA DA FELTRE Mercadante achieved that synthesis of drama, emotion, and musical expression he had hoped for, and had achieved IL GIURAMENTO and a few other works. Certainly, then, a worthy addition to the catalogue, and worthy of any good opera fan. Price: $25.98 |