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Il Re Pastore

RCA

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1. Act 1: Ov - The Orch Of Naples
   Denis Vaughan
2. Act 1: Intendo, Amico Rio - Reri Grist
   Lucia Popp
3. Act 1: Alla Selva, Al Prato - Lucia Popp
4. Act 1: Compagne Amene - Reri Grist
5. Act 1: Ditelo, Voi Pastori - Reri Grist
6. Act 1: Aer Tranquillo - Reri Grist
7. Act 1: Ecco Il Pastor! - Nicola Monti
   Reri Grist
   Luigi Alva
8. Act 1: Si Spande Al Sole In Faccia - Luigi Alva
9. Act 1: Agenore? T'Arresta! - Arlene Saunders
   Nicola Monti
10. Act 1: Per Me Rispondete - Nicola MOnti
11. Act 1: NO, Voi Non Siete, O Dei - Arlene Saunders
12. Act 1: Di Tante Sue Procelle - Arlene Saunders
13. Act 1: Oh, Lieto Giorno! Oh, Me Felice! - Lucia Popp
    Reri Grist
14. Act 1: Dal Piu Fedel Vasallo Il Primo Omaggio - Nicola Monti
    Lucia Popp
    Reri Grist
15. Act 1: Perdona, Elisa - Reri Grist
    Lucia Popp
16. Act 1: Vanne, Vanne A Regnar, Ben Mio - Lucia Popp
    Reri Grist
17. Act 2: Questa Del Campo Greco - Lucia Popp
    Nicola Monti
18. Act 2: Barbaro! O Dio, Mi Vedi - Lucia Popp
19. Act 2: Nel Gran Cor D'Alessandro - Nicola Monti
    Reri Grist
20. Act 2: Se Vincendo Vi Rendo Felici - Luigi Alva
21. Act 2: Oime! Declina Il Sol - Reri Grist
    Nicola Monti
22. Act 2: L'Amero, Saro Constante - Reri Grist
23. Act 2: Uscite, Al Fine, Uscite - Nicola Monti
    Lucia Popp
    Arlene Saunders
24. Act 2: Se Tu Di Me Fei Dono - Arlene Suanders
25. Act 2: Misero Cor! - Nicola MOnti
26. Act 2: Voi Che Fausti Ognor Donate - Luigi Alva
27. Act 2: Ola, Che Piu Si Tarda? - Luigi Alva
    Arlene Saunders
    Nicola Monti
    Lucia Popp
    Reri Grist
28. Act 2: Viva! Viva L'invitto Duce - Lucia Popp
    Arlene Saunders
    Reri Grist
    Nicola Monti
    Luigi Alva

Average customer rating:

Lucia Popp and Reri Grist delightful in charming recording

The Mozart lover may prefer one of the two recent "historically informed" recordings (Mariner; PHILIPS or Harnoncourt; TELDEC), but this charming recording from 1967 is a good supplement to one of these recordings and will make a delightful addition to any collection on its own. The mid-price release adds to this recording's appeal. This opera is one of Mozart's earliest (1775) and the delightful music looks forward to "The Abduction from the Seraglio" and beyond.

The listener's attention naturally focuses on Reri Grist in the protaganist trouser role of Alminta, and on the very young Lucia Popp in one of her earliest recorded portrayals as Elisa. Fans of either of these great singers will not want to miss out on this recording. Grist sings a beautiful version of "L'Amero, sara constante", the one well known "hit" aria from this piece. The role is often given to a larger voiced soprano or lyric mezzo, but Grist handles the task well and gives an engaging performance. She uses her light voice to good effect for both the music and the character. Popp here posseses the vibrant, glittering and pointed coloratura sound that one also hears on her recording of the Queen of the Night in Klemperer's "Magic Flute" (EMI). The role here is not nearly so showy, but her two arias allow for some vocal fireworks nonetheless. She puts across the score convincingly, making a good case for the unfamiliar music. Arlene Saunders makes a fine contribution, and provides a different, darker and warmer vocal color in nice contrast to the reedy and shimmering sounds of Grist and Popp. Luigi Alva fares the least well of the soloists and is the recordings weak link. Well known at the time for his Rossini roles, here the coloratura demands of Allesandro are too much for him, and his arias are tiresome for the listener. Compensation is found in the lovely and musical singing of Nicola Monti in the supporting tenor role. Monti brings attractive tone and fluid agility to his music.

Denis Vaughan is not a star conductor as one finds on the other two versions noted above, but he keeps the performance in motion and obviously respects the material. Contemporary tastes call for a lighter touch, but this is a good example of modern instrument performance style in its time.

Unfortunately, RCA's "Opera Treasury" series of reissued recordings comes up a little short with the booklets. Included is a libretto and translation, synopsis, tracking numbers, and the credits. This is just fine when the recording is of a well known opera, but with "Il Re Pastore", as well as some of the other releases in this series, the opera's relative obscurity calls for some notes.