Mozart - Lucio Silla - Adam Fischer (2008) [V2] torrent

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart performed by The Danish Radio Sinfonietta under Adam Fischer - Lucio Silla [2008]

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2008/Aug08/Mozart_Lucio_Silla_8226069.htm

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Lucio Silla K135, Opera seria in three acts (libretto by Giovanni di Gamerra, reductions in recitatives by Richard Lewis) (1772)

Lothar Odinius – Lucio Silla (tenor); Simone Nold – Giunia (soprano); Kristina Hammarström – Cecilio (soprano); Henriette Bonde-Hansen – Cinna (soprano); Susanne Elmark – Celia (soprano); Jakob Næslund Madsen – Aufidio (tenor); Richard Lewis (harpsichord)
Vocal Group Ars Nova, Danish Radio Sinfonietta/Adam Fischer
rec. Danish Radio Concert Hall, Copenhagen, Denmark, 2001-02

During his three Italian trips, from December 1769 to March 1773, the teenage Mozart received three big operatic commissions. The first was Mitridate, re di Ponto (1770) whose great success originated the next two: Ascanio in Alba (1771), composed for the wedding celebrations of the young Archduke Ferdinand with Princess Maria Beatrice d’Este of Modena; and Lucio Silla.

Mozart was still only sixteen when he composed Lucio Silla. He was forced to do it at speed, as he could not begin writing the arias until the singers were present and they arrived late. The opera was premiered on 26 December 1772 at the Teatro Regio Ducal, in Milan, and the primo uomo – castrato Venanzio Rauzzini – who would sing Cecilio, arrived at the end of November while the prima donna – Anna de Amicis – who played Giunia, was not present until early December. Add to this, the fact that the tenor, who ended up performing the title role, was a church singer, Bassano Morgnoni, with no stage experience, and one must wonder how young Mozart managed to cope and still produce a work of distinction.

The plot of the opera is based on the story of Roman despot Lucius Cornelius Silla (138-78 BC) who unexpectedly retired from his dictatorship. He was an interesting character and what should have been a fabulous role for a tenor. As it turned out, due to Morgnoni’s inexperience and late appointment, Mozart reduced the part considerably and the tenor was given only two arias, which vocally are not very demanding though pretty and pleasant enough. This is more the shame when one has a tenor like Germany’s Lothar Odinius singing Silla. Odinius is an excellent Mozart interpreter, with a clear vocal line, a good legato technique and an assured voice control. He delivers a pleasant Lucio Silla, excelling in the two arias, which he negotiates with ease and grace.