Didone Abbandonata

Pietro Metastasio’s libretto based on Virgil’s Aeneid—centering on the abandonment of Dido, Queen of Carthage, by her lover Aeneas after his flight from Troy—was set to music by more than 50 composers in the century following its initial use by Domenico Sarro in 1724. This version by Giuseppe Saverio Mercadante (1795-1870), which premiered in 1823, was the last, written when the opera seria form was already very old-fashioned. Presented here in a revival from the 2018 Innsbruck Festival of Early Music, Didone Abbandonata is a fairly conventional but smoothly composed piece in the style of Rossini, although it lacks that composer’s gifts for memorable melody and, when called for, dramatic power. The plot focuses on the reaction of Dido (soprano Viktorija Miškūnaitė) to the announcement by Aeneas (mezzo Katrin Wundsam, in a trousers role) that he must leave in response to divine command, and the attempt of Moorish king Jarba (tenor Carlo Vincenzo Allemano) to persuade Dido to become his bride. Musically, the performance is fine: the three soloists are effective, and while there are weaknesses in the supporting roles, the chorus sings heartily and the period-instrument Academia Montis Regalis gives a spirited reading of the score under the baton of Alessandro De Marchi. Sadly, the staging by Jürgen Flimm is unattractive, with sets by Magdalena Gut that include lots of metal scaffolding and some modern furniture, coupled with unimpressive costumes by Kristina Bell, including French Foreign Legion-style outfits for Jarba’s soldiers. But since competition for this release on Blu-ray seems unlikely, it will certainly be appreciated by anyone interested in exploring the byways of the bel canto era. Presented in DTS 5.1 (DTS-HD 5.1 on the Blu-ray release) and PCM stereo, this is recommended. (F. Swietek)