Orlando Furioso

When staged today, baroque operas are often performed in modern dress, but Fabio Ceresa’s 2017 production of Antonio Vivaldi’s 1727 work from the Festival della Valle d’Itria in Martina Franca—a version of Ariosto’s once-popular tale of the sorceress Alcina who bewitches men, including the knight Orlando (aka Roland, the chief lieutenant to Charlemagne), who land on her magical island—unapologetically aims to present something similar to the original staging. Not in length—the score has been pruned to under three hours—but certainly in visual terms. From Alcina’s golden seashell-shaped throne and sumptuous costumes, to the huge white eagle on which one of the men arrives, and the giant monster Orlando must battle toward the close, Ceresa revels in the kind of spectacle customary to 18th-century opera-goers. The musical side is also historically informed, from Diego Fasolis conducting the period orchestra I Barocchisti from a harpsichord continuo, to the employment of countertenors as two of Alcina’s victims. The plot is admittedly ridiculous by modern standards: under Alcina’s control, Orlando is driven mad with love for Angelica, who in turn is enamored with Medoro; ultimately he will break the spell by destroying a statue of Merlin. But the vocalism is stylish, with contralto Sonia Prina as Orlando and mezzo Lucia Cirillo as Alcina standing out in an ensemble that handles the coloratura demands of Vivaldi’s writing with exceptional élan. Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and PCM stereo on DVD, and DTS-HD 5.1 and PCM stereo on Blu-ray, this is one of the most authentic-looking (and sounding) versions of a baroque opera available on disc. Highly recommended. (F. Swietek)