Credits:

Miklos Spanyi

Description:

Agrigento, Sicily, 13th century. Filippo, who has taken the old Marquis Carlo's estate and imprisoned him, plans to take Bianca, Carlo's daughter, who is now a widow, for his own. Then along comes Gernando, Carlo's son, who was banished by Filippo when he was a child. He calls himself Adolfo and joins Filippo's crew to uncover the truth. Bianca, who was unaware of Filippo's deception, eventually discovers the truth and joins forces with her brother Gernando to rescue her father Carlo. This early work by Bellini is known only in the 1828 version revised by Romani, but it was originally adapted from this "Bianca and Gernando" for the opening of the Teatro Felice. There are some differences in the music, but both are performances that make singers weep with their superb coloratura techniques. In this production, the singers are ideally suited for the role, and the performance is a feast for the voices. Naxos Japan