Album Description
Cherubini's Opera "Les Abencerages" was first performed in Paris in 1813. Amongst the many celebrities in the audience was Napoleon Bonaparte, and the work turned out to be a significant success. It had many important advocates and admirers, and counted among these were other notable composers of the age including Berlioz, Mendelssohn and Spontini However it was to be Cherubini's last serious opera, as unfortunately the popularity of "Les Abencerages" turned out to be short lived. For a long period of time the work remained largely forgotten, and it was not until a production was put together in Florence in 1956 under the musical direction of Carl Maria Guilini that a process of rehabilitation began.
This radio performance from 1975 was the first to return to the original French version, and has not been available commercially before. It boasts a fine cast under the expert baton of Peter Maag and together they reveal "Les Abencerages" to be an approachable and strongly melodic addition to the repertoire.
Personnel:
RAI Symphony Orchestra and Chorus of Milan, Peter Maag - (conductor)
Soloists:
Noraime: Margherita Rinaldi - (soprano), Almanzor: Francisco Ortiz - (tenor), Gonzalve de Cordouz: Jean Dupouy - (tenor), Alamir: Andrea Snarski - (bass), Kaled: Ermanno Lorenzi - (tenor), Alemar: Jacques Mars - (bass), Abderame: Mario Machl - (bass), Octair: Carlo Schreiber - (bass), Egilone: Carmen Lavani - (soprano)