This 1726 work by Neapolitan composer Leonardo Vinci (1690-1730) signals the very beginnings of opera seria, being one of the earliest settings of the 1724 libretto by Pietro Metastasio, based on the tale of Dido and Aeneas from Virgil. This first modern mounting by the Opera di Firenze in 2017 is a fairly typical example of the form, presenting a succession of florid arias separated by reams of recitative--dramatically inert but elegant and falling easily on the ear (although the quiet, abrupt ending comes as a shock). Soprano Roberta Mameli is vocally impressive in the demanding role of Dido, as is Carlo Allemano as Aeneas, even if he looks rather too old for the role. The four secondary singers are all adequate, even if countertenor Raffaele Pé, as the African prince Iarba--Aeneas’s rival for Dido’s affections--is obliged to snap a whip a bit too much. The whip-snapping is representative of Deda Cristina Colonna’s unimaginative staging, in which the characters simply pose on the single set of interlocked pipes, gesturing clumsily as they deliver their arias, clothed in odd costumes (Dido’s gown, for instance, has some weird metallic rigging attached). The score is played by the modern-string Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino under Carlo Ipata with little flair (and occasionally poor discipline). Still, this release serves as an introduction to the work of a historically important composer. Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and PCM stereo, this is a strong optional purchase. (F. Swietek)
Didone Abbandonata
(2017) 2 discs. 166 min. In Italian w/English subtitles. DVD: $34.99. Dynamic (dist. by Naxos of America). Volume 33, Issue 3
Didone Abbandonata
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