Vincenzo Bellini - I Puritani

"Together with Donizetti and Rossini, Vincenzo Bellini stands as one of the great masters of operatic composition during the first half of the nineteenth century. Whereas Rossini sought vocal agility and Donizetti dramatic vigour or unrestrained musical high spirits, Bellini was a painstaking craftsman whose seriousness of purpose and sincerity of utterance gave his works a unique character unmatched by those of his rivals. Born in Catania in Sicily in November 1801, Bellini studied at the Conservatory in Naples. Here one of his teachers, Zingarelli, encouraged him to concentrate on melody, the origin of his fondness for long, beautifully moulded vocal lines set above a simple orchestral accompaniment, Two operas written in Naples were sufficiently successful for Bellini to gain a commission from La Scala in Milan to compose his first mature opera, 'Il Pirata' (1827). After two less successful works, he then composed the operas on which his reputation was founded: 'I Capuleti e I Montecchi' (1830), 'La Sonnambula' (1831), 'Norma' (1831), 'Beatrice di Tenda' (1833), and 'I Puritani' (1835). He died unexpectedly in Paris in September 1835, of an internal inflammation.
 
"'I Puritani' was commissioned by the Théâtre Italien in Paris in 1834. This new work was to be based upon the play 'Têtes rondes et cavaliers' by two French authors Ancelot and Boniface, itself based upon Old Mortality by Sir Walter Scott, whose novels were then very much in vogue. The libretto was supplied by Count Carlo Pepoli, replacing Bellini’s usual partner Felice Romani, with whom the composer had temporarily fallen out. First performed on 25th January 1835, 'I Puritani' was an immediate success, overshadowing another work new to Paris, Donizetti’s 'Marino Faliero'. The action of 'I Puritani' takes place in the middle of the seventeenth century, towards the end of the English Civil War. England is divided between the Royalists, faithful to the Stuart monarchy and leaning towards Catholicism, and the Roundheads, the supporters of Oliver Cromwell and siding with Puritan religious views. King Charles I has been executed and his wife Queen Henrietta has escaped in disguise. The setting is Plymouth, a Puritan stronghold.

"In July 1952 the head of artists and repertoire of EMI’s Columbia label, Walter Legge, signed the latest operatic sensation in Italy, Maria Callas, to a contract with his company, although she was also to make two recordings during the next fifteen months with the Italian company CETRA, of Ponchielli’s 'La Gioconda' and Verdi’s 'La Traviata'. She quickly entered the recording studios for EMI, initially during February 1953 in Florence with Donizetti’s 'Lucia di Lammermoor'. This was quickly followed in March and early April of the same year with this recording of 'I Puritani'. Both these recordings were produced by Dino Olivieri, and 'I Puritani' was to be the first of the many recordings in which Legge arranged for Callas to record with the choral and orchestral forces of La Scala, Milan, Italy’s pre-eminent opera house, and itself a stroke of marketing genius which benefited all concerned. The recording was notable for many reasons: it was both the first recording of this opera, and the first operatic set to be issued with Callas on EMI’s new label Angel in the USA, appearing two months before the Florence 'Lucia'. It represented the start of the rediscovery on record of the bel-canto repertoire, which took place partly as a result of the development of the long-playing record, and partly through the totally new character which Callas gave to the operas of this repertoire with her smoky tone, vocal agility and dramatic intensity. Previously bel-canto had been viewed in terms of coloratura sopranos, epitomised for instance by the Italian soprano Toti dal Monte and the French diva Lily Pons, the Metropolitan Opera’s Lucia for many years. Finally this recording and the earlier 'Lucia' reunited Callas with her constant mentor, the conductor Tullio Serafin, who had encouraged her to sing the role of Elvira for the first time in extraordinary circumstances several years earlier." (David Patmore. From the liner notes.)

Performers: Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala, Coro del Teatro alla Scala, Tullio Serafin, Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Rolando Panerai, Nicola Rossi-Lemeni

1.1. Sinfonia
1.2. Atto I, Scena I: 'All'erta! All'erta!'
1.3. Atto I, Scena I: 'O Di Cromvell Guerrieri'
1.4. Atto I, Scena I: 'A Festa!'
1.5. Atto I, Scena I: 'Or Dove Fuggo Io Mai?'
1.6. Atto I, Scena I: 'Ah! Per Sempre Io Ti Perdei'
1.7. Atto I, Scena I: 'T'appelan Le Schiere... Bel Sogno Beato'
1.8. Atto I, Scena II: 'O Amato Zio, O Mio Secondo Padre!'
1.9. Atto I, Scena II: 'Sai Com'Arde In Petto Mio'
1.10. Atto I, Scena II: 'Odi... Qual Suon Si Desta?'
1.11. Atto I, Scena II: 'Ad Arturo Onore'
1.12. Atto I, Scena II: 'A Te, O Cara'
1.13. Atto I, Scena II: 'Il Rito Augusto, Si Compia Senza Me'
1.14. Atto I, Scena II: 'Cavalier!... Se Ti È D'uopo Di Consiglio'
1.15. Atto I, Scena II: 'Son Vergin Vezzosa'
1.16. Atto I, Scena II: 'Sulla Virginea Testa'
1.17. Atto I, Scena II: 'Ferma. Invan Rapir Pretendi'
1.18. Atto I, Scena II: 'Dov'è Arturo?'
1.19. Atto I, Scena II: 'Oh Vieni Al Tempio: Fedele Arturo'
1.20. Atto I, Scena II: 'Ma Tu Già Mi Fuggi?'

2.1. Atto II: 'Ah... Dolor! Ah, Terror!'
2.2. Atto II: 'Qual Novella?'
2.3. Atto II: 'Cinta Di Fiori E Col Bel Crin Disciolto'
2.4. Atto II: 'E Di Morte Lo Stral Non Sarà Lento'
2.5. Atto II: 'O Rendetemi La Speme'
2.6. Atto II: 'Qui La Voce Sua Soave'
2.7. Atto II: 'Vien, Diletto, È In Ciel La Luna!'
2.8. Atto II: 'Il Rival Salvar Tu Dêi'
2.9. Atto II: 'Se Tra Il Buio Un Fantasma Vedrai'
2.10. Atto II: 'Riccardo! Riccardo!'
2.11. Atto II: 'Suoni La Tromba'
2.12. Atto III: 'Son Salvo, Alfin Son Salvo'
2.13. Atto III: 'A Una Fonte Afflito E Solo'
2.14. Atto III: 'Qual Suon! Alcun S'appressa'
2.15. Atto III: 'Son Già Lontani!'
2.16. Atto III: 'Fìni... Me Lessa'
2.17. Atto III: 'Ch'ei Provò Lontan Da Me?'
2.18. Atto III: 'Vieni Fra Queste Braccia'
2.19. Atto III: 'Alto Là! Fedel Drapello'
2.20. Atto III: 'Credeasi, Misera!'
2.21. Atto III: 'Suon D'araldi?'

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Francesco Cavalli - Artemisia

"The fierce competition between the opera houses in Venice is probably the main reason why the Venetian opera model dominated in Italy and indeed in all of Europe for a long time. Librettists and composers were well aware that their work would be measured against that of others. The success of an opera was judged not least by its financial success, so that the audiences were the decisive factor. What pleased them was repeated and copied; what displeased them was dropped and forgotten.

"Political undertones had been more or less overtly present in Venetian opera ever since public performances began. One theme interested the Venetians in particular: the excellence of the city’s constitution. In contrast to almost all the other realms at that time, Venice was a republic, one whose constitution and laws were considered perfect by Venetians and also by others. In the operas, this situation was mostly reflected by monarchies being depicted as degenerate and corrupt – everyone likes to see others' faults pilloried on stage. (The often encountered assertion that these operas exclusively reflected the libertine spirit of Venice is a modern myth with which the so-called 'funloving society' seeks to establish a link with supposedly historical models).

"Political statement is central to the opera Artemisia, although it is not in the foreground of the action. The problem of power in a monarchy is closely interwoven with love and honour. In the person of Artemisia we have a character who undergoes an important inner change in the course of the opera. At the beginning of the drama we meet her as a queen brought up from childhood by her teacher Indamoro to be aware of her own superiority. Her love for King Mausolus, though sincerely felt, was no more than a ritual. After his death Artemisia takes drastic action to affirm the picture she has of herself. She has a mausoleum (one of the seven wonders of the world) built for her dead husband, drinks his ashes and vows revenge on Meraspe, his supposed murderer. The love she feels for the supposed servant 'Clitarco' – who is actually none other than her deadly enemy Meraspe – not only hinders her sorrow but also represents a genuine loss of power when she finds that she has no control over her own feelings. She moreover feels positively insulted by the fact that the man she adores seems to be of low birth. She initially tries to defend herself by forbidding love affairs at her court, by wishing that her heart would turn to stone and by dedicating herself to conducting wars.

"But the old, not entirely successful devices with which she had demonstrated her mourning now fail completely; she is powerless against her feelings. The ban on love works only in fighting jealousy, her prayers for a heart of stone are not heard and the impending war turns into a complete farce when she sees that it enables Alindo, her general, to seize power. In this way Artemisia learns that her old means of exercising power no longer work, and she surrenders to her fate. It is not important that 'Clitarco' turns out to be of noble birth, nor that he was her deadly enemy. The problem now is rather that she had promised King Mausolus' avenger the right to decide over her wedding. So long as it was only about finding a worthy king, she felt no loss of power; but now that love has come into play, the thought of a stranger holding sway over her is intolerable. The problem can only be solved from outside, and there lies the true loss of power. As the action clearly shows, the state in a monarchy is subject to the ruler’s vacillating emotions; in consequence, Artemisia's loss of power at the same
time signifies great damage to the commonweal.
 
"Meraspe on the other hand constantly veers between hope and despair. The dilemma of his love causes him to lose individuality – the queen cannot love him, not as 'Clitarco' because of his social standing, not as Meraspe because of what he has done. He sees himself as a passive victim, not able to act; indeed, he never even attempts to extricate himself from the dilemma. 

"Divided into pairs, the other characters primarily exemplify an individual principle. Oronta and Alindo represent honour, Artemia and Ramiro love. The women are stronger here, with the men seeking to make up for their weakness by acting unscrupulously. Oronta follows Alindo because he has injured her honour through his betrayal, and she succeeds in deceiving him through disguise and ends up pulling all the strings, so that she can solve the problems almost in the manner of a deus ex machina. Alindo on the other hand strives so much for the honour of being king that he resorts to untoward means, particularly after he has realized that the queen is not as dignified as he thought. His attempt to force her back into the old convention fails, and he returns to Oronta when he realizes that that is what his honour demands.

"Ramiro is so helpless against his love that he does not shrink from blackmailing Artemia and thus betraying Meraspe, his master. Artemia submits to this blackmail out of strength, because she is unwilling to endanger her love, but that is tragically just what causes her to lose her love, for she must obey the command of her beloved Meraspe after already having done so much for him.

"The characters in the comical subplot are intended to contrast with the serious action. Niso and Eurillo make fun of the old nursemaid Erisbe, who stands for the old conditions at the court. Niso even nurtures the hope of marrying
the queen himself; her loss of power could not be symbolized more aptly.
 
"It is only on the surface that this opera reaches a lieto fine, a happy end. While the couples are all united, it is clear that the principles of power and love are mutually exclusive. Indeed, it is even possible for power to hold sway over love. Love is ultimately subordinate to power. This cynical view was hardly calculated to send audiences home with a satisfied feeling, and yet it seems to have been what the Venetian expected, since many other operas of the time end in similar fashion. At all events, to judge by the popularity of this opera throughout Italy between 1657 and 1663, Eurillo's direct request at the end that the audience applaud the work cannot have fallen on deaf ears all too often." (Hendrik Schulze, tr. J. & M. Berridge. From the liner notes.)

Performers: La Venexiana, Claudio Cavina, Francesca Lombardi, Roberta Mameli, Valentina Coladonato, Maarten Engeltjes

1.1. Sinfonia: 'Dure Selci'
1.2. Atto I: 'Ecco Il Mio Vago'
1.3. Atto I: 'Dubbia M'appar'
1.4. Atto I: 'Che Saetti Ed Incateni'
1.5. Atto I: 'Son Le Luci Ch'adoro'
1.6. Atto I: 'Quando Il Cor'
1.7. Atto I: 'Amori, Eh?'
1.8. Atto I: 'Pur Andò L'importuno'
1.9. Atto I: 'Gl'artefici O Regina'
1.10. Atto I: 'Su L'April'
1.11. Atto I: 'Zeffiretti Placidetti'
1.12. Atto I: 'Hor Che Soli Restiamo'
1.13. Atto I: 'Clitarco Prenditi Un Fior'
1.14. Atto I: 'Gran Favor! Gran Mercede!'
1.15. Atto I: 'Ardo, Sospiro, E Piango'
1.16. Atto I: 'Già Del Vostro Nettuno'
1.17. Atto I: 'Cari, Cari Vegetabili'

2.1. Atto II: 'S'Amor Vuol Così'
2.2. Atto II: 'Che Sospiri Clitarco?'
2.3. Atto II: 'Ver Me Un Sol Fiato'
2.4. Atto II: 'Perdon Ti Chiedo'
2.5. Atto II: 'Di Trombe Guerriere'
2.6. Atto II: 'Niso, Niso!'
2.7. Atto II: 'Cara, Cara De Gl'occhi Miei'
2.8. Atto II: 'Ella È Qui'
2.9. Atto II: 'Hor Vieni Ad Abbellirmi'
2.10. Atto II: 'Se Meraspe Crudel'
2.11. Atto II: 'Altri È Gradito'
2.12. Atto II: 'Che Gratie!'
2.13. Atto II: 'Dir, Ch'io V'amo'
2.14. Atto II: 'Indamoro!'
2.15. Atto II: 'Se Tu Vuoi Ch'io T'ami'

3.1. Atto III: 'Ch'io Peni Così'
3.2. Atto III: 'Artemia?'
3.3. Atto III: 'Dammi Morte'
3.4. Atto III: 'Ecco Il Mio Bene'
3.5. Atto III: 'Servi, Ò Là'
3.6. Atto III: 'Dite Il Vero, Son Nera?'
3.7. Atto III: 'Cor Mio Che Sarà'
3.8. Atto III: 'E Che Fia Mai Quel Foglio?'
3.9. Atto III: 'Veggio Venir Clitarco'
3.10. Atto III: 'Hor Siate À Preghi Miei'
3.11. Atto III: 'Al Fin Vuole Il Mio Fato'
3.12. Atto III: 'Non Oso Alzar Le Ciglia'
3.13. Atto III: 'Respiri, Chiudete'
3.14. Atto III: 'Ma' Sen Viene Artemisia'
3.15. Atto III: 'Regina?'
3.16. Atto III: 'Ecco Alindo'

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The Doobie Brothers - Minute by Minute

A milestone in the careers of both The Doobie Brothers as a unit and new found frontman Michael McDonald, who replaced Tom Johnston in 1975 until the band's eventual separation in 1982. While all the material here is stunning, this is clearly a band in transition: McDonald penned R&B-esque numbers like "What a Fool Believes" and "You Never Change" sit snugly alongside the likes of the country and western instrumental "Steamer Lane Breakdown" and rock-n-rolling "Sweet Feelin'". Aside from sounding inspired and in stellar form musically, it's perhaps this dichotomy that makes this the band's best collection of material; here we get the best of both worlds. 

1. Here To Love You
2. What A Fool Believes
3. Minute By Minute
4. Dependin' On You
5. Don't Stop To Watch The Wheels
6. Open Your Eyes
7. Sweet Feelin'
8. Steamer Lane Breakdown
9. You Never Change
10. How Do The Fools Survive

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