The Vivaldi Edition Operas 1 (Deluxe Edition) including Gris [Box set]

After I had taken the plunge and bought and played my Vivaldi Operas I wondered why I had waited so long to make the purchase. Years ago I had bought Il Farnace the Massimo De Bernart version recorded pre-1990 on the Akademia label there was a liberetto but not in English and as live recordings are live there was lots of extra noise my M.Horne Orlando Furioso has seen better days and even though new by my standards my Montezuma Pasticco de Jean-Claude Malgoire recorded again live in 1992 now sounds like ancient history. My new Delux Edition is a pure joy. Crisp clear, a libertto in English, Phillip Jaroussky and other wonderful singers giving their best. The music is ravishing.HOWEVER. The notes supplied were simply not in depth enough for my taste, after spending a considerable sum for the operas I did expect a bit more back ground and research. It is always nice to know what was happening historically and personally in the composers life. The pictures were charming. The ony draw back is the album that the discs are attached to. You do need nimble fingers to prise the disc off and then get it back on. That apart, vaule for money and a pure joy.If like me you know your Vivaldi you will not be disappointed . When the next edition comes out I will not wait so long. Bravo for naive.

i was so looking forward to getting my hands on this collection. yes the discs are not particularly easily removed and replaced but that doesn't bother me too much. what i found quite disappointing was that the book of librettos (or is it libretti)was printed in black, black/grey and grey. The english translation being in light grey. That along with the size of the print causes problems for me being someone whose lamps are well past their best. I have since bought a large magnifying glass which has greatly improved my ability to read the words. That apart i have thoroughly enjoyed a number of the operas and the whole product is just so nice to own. Had I known about the libretto problem I would still have bought it.

I bought this collection after having listened Orlando furioso and Bajazet (this one not part of the collection yet). I am not prone to operas in general but this collection was a real and stunning discovery to me. If you wonder what Vivaldi reminds us after years of commercial spots, obvious recordings and that Stravinsky' sentence, turn off the noise and listen what is emerging from the incredible amount of reconstruction's work done by scholars and musicians after the discoveries of Vivaldi original manuscripts in Turin: a whole change of perspectives in Vivaldi's musical perception. The book included is full of information about manuscripts, music and performers: deserves a full reading. Do it!
Two things have to be underlined in these recordings: the use of dedicated voices for this repertoire and the texture among voices, music and text. Pls, listen Griselda and make a comparison between the latest one published by Naxos. In the Naïve recording, the approach to the arias, recitatives and the psychology of the whole opera is different and much deeper.
The joy of the executors in playing this music is real and contagious but... if you belong to the rank of those who start listening a CD with a chronometer in their hand it's, maybe, disappointing: Not too bad: Solisti Veneti and Co. are always available on the market.
Despite being an oratorio, Juditha Triumphans is included and it's a real delight: among those already available on the market stands alone at least for one thing: the happiness of musicians in playing it!
Another reason I would suggest to buy this collection is that noting similar is available on the market (I mean the quantity and quality of dramas collected here including the saving respect when bought one at a time).
All the recordings are excellent from a technical point of view except some minor snags.
Last, I would like to know that "smart" person who studied the way to fix up the CDs to the book: works very well in braking half the disk during the extraction. Compliments!