Virginia Zeani "Il Piccolo Marat" Duet 1 Mascagni

Virginia Zeani and her husband. Nicola Rossi Lemeni, made this well received recording of the complete opera "Il Piccolo Marat" in just two days.
Set in revolutionary France, Il Piccolo Marat is a "rescue opera" after the manner of Fidelio, with a brutal embodiment of evil in the form of the "Ogre". Among the prisoners in his jail is Princess Fleury, whose son pretends to join the revolutionaries, the "Marats" (hence he is known as "the Little Marat") in order to gain access to her and rescue her. Along the way he falls in love with the Ogre's unhappy niece, Mariella, and aims to rescue her too.There are thunderous choruses to make the blood race, soaring orchestral passages, and a beautiful act two duet. Done well, the opera has an extremely powerful effect.

The opera places very great demands on the singers, who are required to sustain very long lines in high tessitura. Moreover, there are four big roles and another two (the mother and the soldier) quite important enough to sink the ship if done badly. Fortunately everyone here is equal to his task and quite frankly, given the state of things today, it is difficult to imagine any modern recording offering a successful challenge.
Zeani, gifted with a particularly warm, refulgent timbre and a fine technique, belongs to that group of sopranos (Carteri, Cerquetti, Gavazzi, ...) who were overshadowed by the Callas-Tebaldi rivalry but who would be welcomed with open arms today. She specialised in bel canto roles, but she certainly did not lack the heft for Mascagni, for she sings here with total security and a ringing conviction. It is also a very expressive performance and for me, quite apart from the merits of the opera, serious lovers of singing should obtain the set for this memento of an exceptional singer

Most of the above information comes from Christopher Howell's review which he says relies on " Erik Bruchez's wonderfully informative Mascagni site, a true labour of love which can be visited at www.mascagni.org".

Chorus of the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Orchestra Sinfonica di Sanremo/Ottavio Ziino
Recorded live (mono) 20th January 1962, Teatro del Casinò di Sanremo

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Virginia
• Zeani
• Italian
• Opera
• Versimo
• Mascagni
• French
• RevolutionBellini
• Naples
• bel
• canto
• revival

[qklq42]

Its also striking in this opera that, when the sympathic characters singing, (such as The prince, Mariella, the Mother the Carpenter and the Soldier) Mascagni uses mostly only the higher instruments, specially his wonderful violins. When the unsympatics are singing (l'Orco, The Thief , the Tiger and the Spy) they always have an accompagny of the dark instruments, such as the bassoon and the tuba. The strength of this opera is its fantastic varying characters all with their own music!

Hans NL

[21donbar1]

Every time I hear V Zeani, I marvel even more at her exquisite musicianship and musicality. And to have a husband/wife combo with voices like these.....!!!!

[dalecampbl7]

finally....something not Cavalleria

[qklq42]

Virzinea Zeano is the most beautiful Mariella ever. There are two complete recordings of Piccolo Marat with Virzinea in this role. You can hear other sopranos in this duet, for instance with the great Hypolito Lazaro or with the legendary Ettore Bergamaschi, but than you always listen to the tenor. When Virginea sings this duet you only listen to the soprano.She is soooo great !

Hans NL

[rovingeye5]

thanks for the post- Read Allan Mallach's biography on Mascagni if you get a chance!

[Rukasepar]

According to the New York Times, the Teatro Grattacielo organization has scheduled a concert performance of "Il piccolo Marat" for today, 13APR2009, in the Avery Fisher Hall of NYC. Lucky New Yorkers!!!

[lauradavis90]

Truly exquisite singing! Thanks for sharing this with us!

[basenjidiva]

Effortlessly making the transition from Bel Canto to Verismo, Zeani is always in complete control of her sublime instrument.

Her gorgeous voice is unaffected by the demands of the tessitura, as her range is 3+ octaves! Her emotion pours from her voice as sunshine warms all it touches. Pianissimos & mezzo voces color the phrases, & she has the capacity to shatter glass with her forte!

Zeani is the consummate technician, who infuses her gorgeous voice with wholly evocative expression.