Aleko's Cavatina. Aleko: 'The whole camp sleeps' -
5:41
11.
11
Intermezzo -
2:05
12.
12
Young Gypsy's Romance. Young Gypsy: 'Look how beneath the distant vault of heaven' -
1:36
13.
13
Duet and Finale. Zemfira: 'It's time to go, my love, it's time!' -
4:49
with Young Gypsy, Aleko
14.
Gypsies: 'What's all this noise? What is that cry?' -
4:07
with Old Gypsy, Zemfira, Old Gypsy Woman, Aleko
15.
Gypsies: 'We are gentle and kind-hearted'
3:09
with Old Gypsy, Aleko
Total time: 50:47
Solo:Sergey Murzaev baritone - Aleko
Solo: Evgeny Akimov tenor - Young Gypsy
Solo: Gennady Bezzubenkov bass - Old Gypsy
Solo: Svetla Vassileva soprano - Zemfira
Solo: Nadezhda Vasilieva mezzo-soprano - Old Gypsy Woman
Choral: Coro del Teatro Regio di Torino
Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor:Gianandrea Noseda
7 and 8 September 2009
Notes
NOSEDA conducts RACHMANINOFF ALEKO
Sometimes referred to as Rachmaninoff’s answer to Carmen, Aleko adapted from “The Gypsies” by Pushkin, was written in 1892 as a graduation work for the Moscow Conservatory; it won all the prizes, needless to say. The Opera perfectly demonstrates the emergence of Rachaninoff’s own individual style ‘Aleko’ has effortless melodies with an oriental feel. Gianandrea Noseda was appointed Music Director at the Teatro Regio in Turin in September 2009 and this recording was produced from a live performance at the Stresa Festival with the Teatro Regio Chorus, the BBC Philharmonic and an all-Russian cast including Serguey Murzaev, Evgheny Akimov, and Nadezhda Vassilieva, Gennady Bezzubenkov and Svetla Vassileva. Chandos has previously released Rachmaninoff’s Francesca da Rimini and The Miserly Knight with Noseda conducting the BBC Philharmonic.
Opera is one of the great musical passions of Gianandrea Noseda, who has explored it to stunning effect with the BBC Philharmonic. In September 2009 he became Music Director at Teatro Regio in Turin, one of Europe’s leading opera houses. Here he presents Aleko, recorded live at the Stresa Festival with the Coro del Teatro Regio di Torino and the BBC Philharmonic. The ‘all-Russian’ cast of soloists are Sergey Murzaev (soloist with the Bolshoy Theatre), Evgeny Akimov and Nadezhda Vasilieva (both soloists with the Mariinsky Theatre Company), Gennady Bezzubenkov and the world-renowned soprano Svetla Vassileva. Chandos has previously released The Miserly Knight and Francesca da Rimini. Sometimes referred to as Rachmaninoff’s answer to Carmen, Aleko (adapted from The Gypsies by Alexander Pushkin) was written in 1892 as a graduation work at the Moscow Conservatory and won the highest prizes from the judges that year. The rhapsodic Orientalism and effortless melodies in particular appeal. As a companion to his two later operas, Aleko illustrates Rachmaninoff early finding his own individual style.
Please login to post a review
Reviews
Repertoire *** Sound ****
Gerhard Persche - Forum (Germany) - August 2010
“…its beautiful music and Chandos does it justice.” “…It’s a gorgeous, richly atmospheric performance.” *****
Graham Strahle - The Australian - 10 July 2010
“The earliest of Rachmaninov’s one-act operas, in the best production to date.” *****
Steven Ritter - Audiophile Audition - 5 July 2010
“…The focal aria for Aleko, which has long been the staple of the Russian baritone repertoire, is sung here with anguished passion by Sergey Murzaev.
The duet for his errant lover Zemfira (Svetla Vassileva) and her new squeeze, the Young Gypsy (Evgeny Akimov), brims with lyrical ardour, Vassileva hurling out taunts to the spurned Aleko in the vicious aria that follows. Unlike Rachmaninov’s other two completes operas, Aleko is conceived in separate numbers, but Noseda’s skill here is to maintain control of pacing and to keep both tense and fluid. Turin’s Teatro Regio chorus adeptly assumes its role as a band of Bessarabian gipies and the BBC Philharmonic plays superbly.” ****
Geoffrey Norris - The Telegraph - 14 May 2010
“Everyone – including the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and the chorus of Turin’s Teatro Regio – gets a chance to bask in the spotlight. But it’s Aleko’s central Cavatine, where he ruminates on his lover’s infidelity, that defines the drama, and Sergey Murzaev seizes his chance, singing with the histrionic grandeur we have come to expect from Russian basses. Svelta Vassileva and Evgeny Akimov are scarcely less vivid as the ill-fated lovers… it [Aleko] manifestly works on CD, and Noseda can take much of the credit. Having served an early apprenticeship in St Petersburg, he relishes the colour of the music and profiles its fine contours, never resorting to cheap emotionalism.” ****
Andrew Clark - FT.com - 8 May 2010
“…Aleko, a student opera about Gypsy love and death, contains the composer’s authentic spirit. A half-hearted performance won’t do at all. Luckily, Noeseda’s no shrinking violet, and this studio recording with the BBC Philharmonic, five impassioned Russian voices, and the choir of Turin’s Teatro Regio pulsates with passion.” ***
Geoff Brown - The Times - 17 April 2010
Performance *** Recording ****
John Allison - BBC Music Magazine - May 2010
Media Downloads
Whenever possible we provide a high resolution CD cover image and a PDF version of the CD booklet for you to download and keep. These are found in your history if purchased and once you have logged in.