Basta nfi a cà: ho scritto meza gloria delle mie guapparie
Di Corradino il nome per ogni suoi rimbomba
Le penne de i poeti so spade assai diverse
Dove, o misero padre, e quando speri più il tuo figlio abbracciar?
Sazia tu fossi alfine revolubil Fortuna!
Ah! perché, perché la morte non ascolta i pianti miei?
Ah! Se ancora un'altra volla el ritorna al dolce amplesso
Pur ti ragiunsi al fin...-Cosa pretendi? - Teco battermi ancor
E palese il tradimento - Mente il foglio, o ad arte è scritto
Perfida invan tu piangi: è finto quell'affanno
Fra quattro armigeri immantimente
Pietà! Mi parli invano. Vendicato sarò
Mandare a morte quella meschina? Che crudelta!
Andate a'vostri alberghi
Da cento smanie, e cento sento straziarmi il cor
Sedotto dall'inganno
O ciel! chi può resistere
Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita
Matilde, Ebben?
Ami alfine? E chi non ama?
Non è vero?
Tace la tromba altera
Juan Diego Florez burst onto the international opera scene in 1996 when he replaced an indisposed singer in the role of Corradino in Rossini's Matilde di Shabran at the Pesaro Rossini Festival. Since then the world-famo... more »us opera festival in Rossini's home town has been Juan Diego's home most summers. In 2004 Florez returned to Pesaro to sing the role of Corradino--the brutal, woman-hating Duke--this time with acclaimed French bel canto star Annick Massis in the title role, and once again the critics were unanimous in their acclaim "In 1996 a young tenor named Juan Diego Florez sang Corradino in Pesaro and soon had an international career. He is back in superb form, hurling coloratura passages as if they were instruments of war. Financial Times, London Gioachino Rossini's opera was first performed in Rome in 1821, when it was conducted by the famous violinist Paganini. Set in medieval Spain, Matilde di Shabran tells of the tyrant Corradino (Florez) who takes pity on Matilde (Massis), the orphaned daughter of one of his comrades. After she softens the heart of the Duke, she gives her heart to one of his prisoners Edoardo (a role for mezzo-soprano). The brutal Duke's response is to order that she be pushed over the edge of a ravine! It is surely the highly complex plot that has kept Matilde di Shabran off the list of frequently performed Rossini operas, but it certainly contains many glorious examples of Rossini at his best, in florid solos, toe-tapping ensembles, and his trademark `tutti' crescendos. This 3 CD complete opera unites Florez and Massis with the Prague Chamber Choir and the Prquesta Sinfonicade Galica, conducted by Riccardo Frizza.« less
Juan Diego Florez burst onto the international opera scene in 1996 when he replaced an indisposed singer in the role of Corradino in Rossini's Matilde di Shabran at the Pesaro Rossini Festival. Since then the world-famous opera festival in Rossini's home town has been Juan Diego's home most summers. In 2004 Florez returned to Pesaro to sing the role of Corradino--the brutal, woman-hating Duke--this time with acclaimed French bel canto star Annick Massis in the title role, and once again the critics were unanimous in their acclaim "In 1996 a young tenor named Juan Diego Florez sang Corradino in Pesaro and soon had an international career. He is back in superb form, hurling coloratura passages as if they were instruments of war. Financial Times, London Gioachino Rossini's opera was first performed in Rome in 1821, when it was conducted by the famous violinist Paganini. Set in medieval Spain, Matilde di Shabran tells of the tyrant Corradino (Florez) who takes pity on Matilde (Massis), the orphaned daughter of one of his comrades. After she softens the heart of the Duke, she gives her heart to one of his prisoners Edoardo (a role for mezzo-soprano). The brutal Duke's response is to order that she be pushed over the edge of a ravine! It is surely the highly complex plot that has kept Matilde di Shabran off the list of frequently performed Rossini operas, but it certainly contains many glorious examples of Rossini at his best, in florid solos, toe-tapping ensembles, and his trademark `tutti' crescendos. This 3 CD complete opera unites Florez and Massis with the Prague Chamber Choir and the Prquesta Sinfonicade Galica, conducted by Riccardo Frizza.
CD Reviews
WHAT A DEMONSTRATION OF ROSSINI SINGING!
L. Mitnick | Chicago, Illinois United States | 05/13/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This may not be Rossini's greatest opera, but it certainly deserves to be heard for the singing alone. The story is part "seria" and part "buffo", but none of this matters. With the very special gifts of Juan Diego Florez (truly this opera could have been written for him!), as well as the honed florid skills of the rest of the cast, we are given here a Rossinian banquet of singing that must be heard to be believed. Florez, as expected, executes coloratura embellishments and roulades that would defeat any other tenor di grazia ---- living or historical. The beauty of his voice is never in doubt, and he rides the roller-coaster-like roulades and cadenzas with the precision of a machine gun. Annick Massis, a French soprano unknown in our country, is equally as impressive in the title role. She's clearly been well schooled in Rossini singing, and her singing has beauty, flexibility, as well as character. If Massis ultimately comes off with less sheer impact than Florez, it's probably because her role has a bit less "fireworks", and moreover, his is the star name in the cast. Virtually all of the cast members are top notch, especially Israeli mezzo Hadar Halevy in the trouser role of Eduardo. She too is given a role with formidable demands, and she meets them head-on. The orchestra and chorus, under the direction of Riccardo Frizza, is outstanding. If you love showy and spectacular singing, I can't see how you wouldn't want this in your collection."
Musically, a pleasant surprise - with superlative singing, i
Ralph Moore | Bishop's Stortford, UK | 10/01/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I pretty much agree with all the previous reviewers, apart from the curiously curmudgeonly and wrong-headed one by S Wells, and would add only that the quality of sound is, for all practical purposes, indistinguishable from a studio recording in quality but gains from its source as a live recording. Florez is, of course, the star of the show but all the singers here have neat, firm, accomplished voices (with the exception of Chiara Chialli's wobbly mezzo as the Contessa; she quite spoils the homogeneity of the ensembles she is in) and I would particularly single out the Israeli mezzo, Halevy, for her "chocolate" tone and accurate roulades. It's true that not all the music is as inspired as that in Rossini's masterpieces and I don't warm to Massis as some do, finding her a little bland, but she certainly has all the notes. Glory in Florez' virtuosity in a part seemingly tailor-made for him; this is great fun and underscored by some nice satirical touches in an ironic storyline which parodies the very operatic conventions that Rossini himself helped to establish. This much-vilified plot emerges as no more absurd or incomprehensible than many another more celebrated opera and seems quite straightforward to me, if patently - and deliberately - absurd. A must for Rossini aficionados."
Best Rossini opera
operaismytherapy | 07/10/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The music in this opera is fresh, engaging, and EXCITING. I am not a musician, nor a singer, but I can listen to it over and over, to discover new turns and twists. The ensembles are riveting. The libretto reveals tons of humor and irony. I think some of the words, like the final rondo "women were born to rule over men", is quite hillarious.
Now about the performers: they are all excellent and suit their roles very well. Juan Diego Florez is amazing in his fast paced singing, and shows off his voice well in the more lyrical parts. While he does not have a single aria, he sings in ensembles of 2-s, 3-s,..through the majority of the opera. I love the musical bickering between Matilde and the countess, and the laments of Eduardo, and the poet. This is a rare opera and production. For Rossini fans it's a must or if you are tired of the same old Barber or Cenerentola. My only wish is to have it on DVD. (youtube has a few clips of this production)"
A jewel in Rossini's crown
Filippo Secondo | 12/09/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This recording of MATILDE DI SHABRAN (Pesaro 2004) being my 38th Rossini opera on disc (only RICCIARDO & ZORAIDE is missing!), I can't recommend it highly enough, not least to rare opera hunters. Hearing the set over and over again for more than a week now, I purchased it primarily for Massis, whose unforgettable Countess Adele I saw three times in Glyndebourne's LE COMTE ORY 10 years ago and still enjoy endlessly on DVD. She and Florez (my first disc of either artist) nail their fiendish notes disarmingly, as if they're doing nothing less than breathing like the rest of mankind, though many times you'd wonder if they breathe at all! The supporting (obscure but generally secure) cast - together with a superb chorus and orchestra - complement the well-matched athletic couple to near perfection. Only the fade-out of the end of set pieces - also true of Abbado's IL VIAGGIO A REIMS recordings - is slightly annoying: I sense that we lose a second or two evidently left out to preclude applause, which could have been abridged (I can't believe that the audience - whose applause here is confined to the end of each of the opera's two acts - responded silently to those breathtaking numbers, unless they were gagged and bound!). No need to hesitate: the memorable score is no less inspired than IL VIAGGIO and ORY (my favourite Rossini comedies), the extended ensembles (in particular) - which are nothing short of orgasmic - showing the composer at his most regal. It would be a crime if Decca didn't tape this for DVD release: if it weren't recorded, I hope the ROH will do us the favour of recording its production next year (either a new Pesaro staging or a revival of the 2004 production, but I'm sure with Florez). If you seriously think that Rossini is at his best only in IL BARBIERE and CENERENTOLA (neither is a favourite of mine), you'll realize how wrong you were upon discovering MATILDE. An irresistible, charming work from the king of dramatic melody."
Track Listings (19) - Disc #1