Cherubini: Arias and Overtures from Florence to Paris

Following acclaimed discs exploring some of the more fascinating byways of the Italian eighteenth century, Auser Musici and its founder-director Carlo Ipata turn to the man Beethoven regarded as the finest of his contemporaries, Luigi Cherubini. It’s not difficult to understand why Beethoven was so impressed: this is music full of character and seriousness of intent, from the strong-jawed Sinfonia for the opera Armida abandonnata, written when Cherubini was just twenty-two, to the dark drama of the Overture to Démophon (which unaccountably failed to wow the sniffy Parisian audiences). And there are vocal delights too, showcasing a virtuosity that looks forward to Rossini and sung here with effortless agility by Maria Grazia Schiavo.

CDA67893  58 minutes 5 seconds
‘Maria Grazia Schiavo displays a nimble coloratura technique, phrases elegantly and makes much of her words. She vividly captures the pathos and agitation of the scena e rondeau Ti lascio adorato ...
‘Schiavo's coloratura generates the thrill of an athelete leaping hurdles’ (The Guardian)