Franz Joseph Haydn - Orlando Paladino (1782) - Cavatina for Angelica - "Palpita ad ogni istante" (Arleen Auger)

"Orlando Paladino", written in 1782, was easily Haydn's most famous opera during his lifetime, with thirty performances in Esterhaza in the first two years after its composition and productions in most of Austria and Germany as well. It was originally composed to celebrate the visit of a Russian grand duke to the Esterhaza court but when that visit was canceled, the opera instead received its' premiere on Prince Esterhazy's name day. The libretto, a "drama eroicomico", gives scope to Haydn's frequently puckish sense of humor, as well as for his inventive melodic expression. Most semi-serious operas of the period typically inserted comic characters into an essentially serious story but Haydn expanded the comedy even into the more serious scenes, scenes that previous composers (Handel, Vivaldi and Haydn himself) had taken more seriously.

Orlando (tenor), a nephew of Charlemagne, falls in love with the Chinese princess Angelica (soprano), who rejects his advances because she has lost her heart to Medoro (tenor), a simple knight. As a result of this rebuff, madness takes the slighted lover, and he aims to kill the young sweethearts. Additional confusion is caused by the permanently hungry squire of Orlando, Pasquale (bass), the saucy shepherdess Eurilla (soprano), who flirts with the former, and the burly King of Barbary, Rodomonte (bass), whose only desire is to kill Orlando to protect the lovers. The good sorceress Alcina (mezzo-soprano) has her work cut out to put everything right again. Ultimately though, after all sorts of turmoil, some of which verges on complete mayhem, everyone ends up with the right partner, except for Orlando, who, having been cured of his love madness, remains a quasi-tragic hero. All this is depicted in the most charming music imaginable, comparing well with some of Mozart's most famous works.

We start with Angelica's cavatina, one of her four demanding arias. Though the character is, arguably, the most straightforward of all those who occupy the core of the drama, Angelica's arias are, in many ways, poking fun at different operatic conventions in depicting virtuous women: thus, except for the cavatina, all her other arias end with difficult vocal acrobatics set to tremendous allegros, suggesting anything but the ingénue she is made out to be by the text. Her cavatina, as Angelica laments the loneliness of being locked in a tower (where she is kept by Medoro to escape the fury of Orlando), is not different, as it also uses a very elaborate vocal line (brilliantly supported by the flute and the strings but not exactly representative of a tragic situation, and Haydn, while not falling into burlesque, manages to convey this superbly) and a slightly over-sugary melody which is still very much appealing.

Arleen Auger does not overplay the comical element, and some may find it rather disappointing, in the light of the strong parody element of the opera, but the singing is just too sublime to even present such details. Hope you'll enjoy :).

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Haydn
• opera
• coloratura
• classical

[stickysponge]

<3 <3

[1972jewish]

muy fria esta musica

[lplover441]

Un talent exceptionnel qu'il ne faut surtout pas oublier. Merci pour ce téléchargement...

[BarbaraPloyer333]

Thanks for posting this (as usual)- it was really popular in Haydn's lifetime and quite a funny one as well!!!