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Gluck: Alceste / Östman, Ringholz, Lavender, Et Al


Release Date: 08/31/1999 
Label:  Naxos   Catalog #: 8660066-68   Spars Code: DDD 
Composer:  Christoph W. Gluck
Performer:  Teresa Ringholz,  Jonas Degerfeldt,  Miriam Treichl,  Justin Lavender,   ... 
Conductor:  Arnold Östman
Orchestra/Ensemble:  Drottningholm Court Theatre Orchestra,  Drottningholm Court Theatre Chorus
Number of Discs: 3 
Recorded in: Stereo 
Length: 2 Hours 27 Mins. 

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Notes and Editorial Reviews

One of the great documents of opera history is Christoph Gluck's preface to the 1769 published version of 'Alceste,' in which the author sets forth his agenda for operatic reform. Gluck's intent was to "restrict music to its true office of serving poetry by means of expression and by following the situations of the story, without interrupting the action or stifling it with a useless superfluity of ornaments." Along with 'Orfeo' and 'Paride ed Elena' (Gluck's two other so-called reform operas), 'Alceste' was the product of Gluck's collaboration with the Italian librettist, Ranieri de Calzabigi. Indeed, Calzabigi was an equal partner in these reforms by providing Gluck with libretti that offered little opportunity for expression extraneous to Read more the drama. Although Italian poetic language played such a central role in the reforms outlined in the preface to 'Alceste,' there has never been a complete recording of the original Italian version of this opera.
Until now, that is. The historic eighteenth-century Drottningholm Theater, Sweden, serves as the venue for this unprecedented recording, with Arnold Östman directing a fine cast which stars the American soprano Theresa Ringholz as Alceste. Read less

Works on This Recording

1. Alceste by Christoph W. Gluck
Performer:  Teresa Ringholz (Soprano), Jonas Degerfeldt (Tenor), Miriam Treichl (Soprano),
Justin Lavender (Tenor), Adam Giertz (Treble), Emelie Clausen (Treble),
Mattias Nilsson (Baritone), Johan Lilja (Bass), Lars Martinsson (Baritone)
Conductor:  Arnold Östman
Orchestra/Ensemble:  Drottningholm Court Theatre Orchestra,  Drottningholm Court Theatre Chorus
Period: Classical 
Written: 1767; Vienna, Austria 
 Date of Recording: 08/1998 
Venue:  Court Theatre, Drottningholm, Sweden 
Length: 146 Minutes 55 Secs. 
Language: Italian 

Sound Samples

Alceste: Intrada
Alceste: Act I Scene I: Recitativo - Popoli che dolenti
Alceste: Act I Scene I: Coro - Ah, di questo afflitto regno
Alceste: Act I Scene I: Aria di Pantomima
Alceste: Act I Scene I: Recitativo - Amorosi vassilli
Alceste: Act I Scene I: Coro - Ah, di questo afflitto regno
Alceste: Act I Scene I: Recitativo - Tacete
Alceste: Act I Scene II: Coro - Missero Admeto
Alceste: Act I Scene II: Recitativo - Popoli di Tessaglia
Alceste: Act I Scene II: Aria e Duetto - Io non chiedo, eterni Dei
Alceste: Act I Scene II: Coro - Miseri figli!
Alceste: Act I Scene II: Recitativo - Non si perda, o miei fidi
Alceste: Act I Scene II: Coro - Ah, di questo afflitto regno
Alceste: Act I Scene III: Ballo (Moderato)
Alceste: Act I Scene III: Gran sacerdote e coro - Dilegua il nero turgbine
Alceste: Act I Scene III: Recitativo - A te, Nume del Giorno
Alceste: Act I Scene III: Coro - Dilegua il nero turbine
Alceste: Act I Scene III: Recitativo - Sospendete, oh ministri
Alceste: Act I Scene IV: Ballo (Moderato)
Alceste: Act I Scene IV: Recitativo - Nume, eterno, immortal
Alceste: Act I Scene IV: Coro - Dilegua il nero turbine
Alceste: Act I Scene IV: Recitativo - I tuoi prieghi, oh regina
Alceste: Act I Scene IV: Oracolo - Il re morra
Alceste: Act I Scene IV: Coro - Che annunzio funesto... Fuggiamo
Alceste: Act I Scene V: Recitativo - Ove son, che ascoltai?
Alceste: Act I Scene V: Aria - Ombre, larve, compagne di morte
Alceste: Act I Scene VI: Recitativo - Ah, t'affretta, oh regina
Alceste: Act I Scene VII: Coro - E non s'offerse alcuno?
Alceste: Act I Scene VII: Coro - Chi serve e chi regna
Alceste: Act II Scene I: Recitativo - Ferma. Perche abbandoni
Alceste: Act II Scene I: Aria - Parto, ma senti!
Alceste: Act II Scene II: Recititavo - Parti, sola restai
Alceste: Act II Scene II: Aria - Chi mi parla?
Alceste: Act II Scene II: Coro e Recitativo - E vuoi morire, oh misera
Alceste: Act II Scene II: Aria - Dunque vieni
Alceste: Act II Scene II: Recitativo - Uditemi, fermate!
Alceste: Act II Scene II: Aria - Non vi turbate, no
Alceste: Act II Scene II: Pantomima de' Numi infernali
Alceste: Act II Scene III: Coro - Dal lieto soggiorno
Alceste: Act II Scene III: Ballo
Alceste: Act II Scene III: Aria - Or che morte il suo furore
Alceste: Act II Scene III: Ballo
Alceste: Act II Scene III: Coro - Dal lieto soggiorno
Alceste: Act II Scene IV: Recitativo - Signor, mai piu sincero
Alceste: Act II Scene V: Recitativo - Adorata consorte
Alceste: Act II Scene V: Duetto - Ah perche con quelle lagrime
Alceste: Act II Scene V: Recitativo - Consorte! !
Alceste: Act II Scene V: Aria - No, crudel, non posso vivere
Alceste: Act II Scene VI: Recitativo - Oh tenerezza! oh amore!
Alceste: Act II Scene VI: Coro - Oh, come rapida
Alceste: Act II Scene VI: Recitativo - E il cor non mi si spezza!
Alceste: Act II Scene VI: Coro - Cosi bella! Cosi giovane!
Alceste: Act II Scene VI: Aria - Vesta, tu che fosti
Alceste: Act II Scene VI: Coro - Oh, come rapida
Alceste: Act II Scene VI: Aria - Oh casto, oh caro nuzial mio letto
Alceste: Act II Scene VI: Coro - Cosi bella, cosi giovane!
Alceste: Act II Scene VI: Recitativo - Regina, ecco i tuoi figli
Alceste: Act II Scene VI: Duetto - Ah mia diletta madre
Alceste: Act II Scene VI: Recitativo - Figli, diletti figli!
Alceste: Act II Scene VI: Aria - Ah, per questo
Alceste: Act II Scene VI: Coro - Oh, come rapida

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