La Salustia

The latest release in the series of operas by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710–1736) staged in his hometown of Jesi is of his debut 1731 opera seria. The libretto is an absurd bit of historical blarney set at the 3rd-century court of the Roman emperor Alexander Severus, whose wife, Salustia, saves her mother-in-law, Giulia, from assassination—even though the older woman has been abusive towards her, and the leader of the plot is Salustia's own father. The conventional score consists of a series of arias that are noble or passionate—depending on the mood of the moment—and only occasionally interrupted by duets and ensembles. But the plot does include one unusual episode—in Act III, a character is thrown to the lions but manages to emerge victorious!—and Pergolesi's music is unfailingly well-wrought and pleasurable. This 2011 production features the original revision the composer had to prepare because of the death of one of the singers, and transposes some of the voices (with a baritone singing a tenor role, for instance). But the young cast, headed by Serena Malfi in the title role, handles the considerable vocal demands dexterously, and the Accademia Barocca de I Virtuosi Italiani performs with vigor under Corrado Rovaris. The staging is admittedly less winsome, with the set a bland array of quasi-classical columns, and the costumes are decidedly odd (mostly 18th century, with strange touches, like bags over the extras' heads). Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and PCM stereo on DVD, and DTS-HD 5.1 and PCM stereo on Blu-ray, this is recommended, overall. (F. Swietek)