Credits:

Cavalli (1602-1676)

Description:

The Valle d'Itria Music Festival, which has attracted much attention for its interesting revival projects, presents the opera "Serse" by Francesco Cavalli, who was a great disciple of Monteverdi, the founder of Italian Baroque opera, and was extremely popular in the middle of the 17th century. ≪The "Serse" is well known for Handel's opera with its opening aria "Ombra mai fu," but the libretto was originally written for Cavalli by the writer Niccolò Minato. After its premiere in Venice in 1655, the work was revived in Paris in 1660, and Cavalli's popularity grew considerably in France. The performance by a fresh group of singers, mainly mid-career and young singers, including Carlo Vistoli as the title role and Gaia Petrone as Celce's brother Arsamene, and the colorful stage design and staging by Leo Muscato and his team using Persian patterns, make this a masterpiece of Baroque opera, The colorful stage design and direction by Leo Muscato and his team, combined with the lively performance by the Orchestra Barocca Modo Antiquo led by Federico Maria Sardelli, the master of Baroque opera, have successfully brought this hidden masterpiece back to life in the modern age. (C)RS