Search - Akselberg, Invernizzi, Johannsen :: Davidis Pugna Et Victoria

The banning of opera performances during Lent in seventeenth-and eighteenth-century Rome meant that composers had to turn their attention to biblical subjects. Scarlatti's work tells the dramatic story of David and Goliath. Whilst the bibilical account relays the story in a few sentences, the anonymous librettist of Davidis pugna et victoria expands upon these to create an extensive libretto, with the characters fully developed and explored. Scarlatti's musical response to the libretto demonstrates his gift for characterization, which acts as a commentary on the unfolding narrative. Performances of thrilling dynamism and instinctive style from Academia Montis Regalis make the strongest possible case for this work.