Pasquale Anfossi: La Finta Giardiniera

Description

La finta giardiniera was a resounding success: after the first performance 1774 in Rome, the opera was translated into several languages and staged in many other European cities and inspired Mozart to write an opera of the same title. This world premiere recording by the ensemble l’arte del mondo shows the exceptional skills of this little-known composer. Storyline Count Belfiore, in a fit of incredible jealously, has physically attacked his love, Violante. He flees, thinking that he has killed her. However, Violante has survived his attack and goes searching for him. She disguises herself as a gardener and enters with the name Sandrina into the service of Don Anchise, the Mayor of Lagonero. It is his housed that is holding the wedding of Belfiore and Arminda, the major's niece. Arminda has also had a tempestuous love affair in her past; her former lover, Ramiro, is also invited to the wedding celebrations. All are reunited and their old feelings are rekindled which puts new kinks in their plans. The new twists bring madness to all. Violante and Belfiore and then Arminda and Ramiro are reunited back into their original couples. About the artists The Spanish Catalan soprano Nuria Rial is famous for her shining, crystal clear and beautiful voice and is one of the best baroque voices for baroque arias. She was described as "a silvery sounding voice, as clear as a bell." (Opernglas) The orchestra l’arte del mondo is rooted in the Early Music tradition, but also plays on modern instruments with the same passion, performing repertoire that goes up to the Romantic period. Since it was founded, the ensemble has been invited to appear at many major festivals and concert series such as the Ludwigsburg Schlossfestspiele, the Bonn Beethoven Festival, the Schwetzingen Festival and the Sanssouci Music Festival in Potsdam. L’arte del mondo has also played at such illustrious venues as Konzerthaus Berlin, the Cité de la musique in Paris, the Düsseldorf Tonhalle, the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden and Munich's Herkulessaal