Adriano in Siria [Blu-ray]

Just amazing
You might not have heard of Pergolesi's Adriano in Siria, but the chances are that if you've any familiarity with Baroque opera, you will at least have heard of Pietro Metastasio, the poet and dramatist responsible for librettos that were used and reused in literally hundreds of early compositions (Adriano in Siria had already been set to music several times before Pergolesi) - and if that's the case then you will have a fair idea of what to expect from the development of the plot and its treatment in an opera seria work. Historically or classically based but more romantically inclined, Metastasio's librettos often feature a powerful king or ruler who is usually in love with a woman who is engaged to be married to another man. There are often a few additional variable complications that lead to confrontations between each of the principal figures during the recitative, with long heartfelt, reflective and repetitive virtuoso arias of despair, anger, love and compassion, according to...

Excellent!
I absolutely loved the experience of watching Adriano in Siria complete with its intermezzo Livietta e Trocallo. Finally, both operas together again in a complete traditional production. I love the music of Pergolesi, and here you get to see both his seria and buffa styles. Both Operas complement each other beautifully. We have the high voices and serious music of Adriano in Siria and the male base baritone and simple music of Livietta e Tracollo. I liked this production of Livietta e Tracollo even better than the excellent 1986 production with La Petite Bonde (also available on DVD) because this production is performed even broader, even more rooted in Commedia Dell'arte, and I thought Monica Bacelli, who plays Livetta, is very funny.

The orchestra with the Baroque instruments is excellent and the all of the singers are fantastic at Baroque. Baroque operas can be static, but the staging here, though traditional, is clever, keeping Metastasio's libretto alive and...

It's dull but has charm.
Pergolesi is a strange entry in the history of Opera. He died very young (1710-1736), produced only four Opera Seria none of which were successful, two commedia musicale neither successful and three intermezzi (short buffa action between acts of serious opera) one of which "La Serva Padrona" along with his last work before death the Stabet Mater has kept his name alive in musical history. The Foundation Pergolesi - Spontini is set to record on DVD his operas and intermezzi. The present recording is a presentation of the Opera Seria libretto by Metasasio, Adrian in Siria and the intermezzo libretto by Tommaso Mariani "Livietto e Tracollo".
The composer was born in L(J)esi in the Italian March, the grandson of a shoemaker named F. Draghi from Pergola. The composer's father Francesco was a surveyor in Lesi and added the Pergolesi to the name as Draghi-Pergolesi. The son Giovanni Battista used only the last name of Pergolesi. He was an acclaimed musician and composed some church...

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