Maurizio Benini

Antônio Carlos Gomes was one of the most popular composers between the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. His love for Italian opera and profound admiration of Verdi’s works inspired him with pages of great melodic impact, which have proved irresistible for audiences of all times. Salvator Rosa was premièred at Genoa’s Carlo Felice Theatre in 1874. Known especially for the great aria for bass Di sposo, di padre, this opera will give listeners quite a few pleasant surprises: its still enthusing arias, duets and concertati are of great effect and capture even the coolest of audiences.

Luisa Miller is an opera that abounds in splendid moments of music and one that occupies a central role in the evolution of Verdi’s dramaturgy. The opera was staged on the evening of

8th December 1849. The performance was a resounding success and the opera continued to affirm itself in further performances. This cd plays the last production staged at Teatro La

Fenice di Venezia, last May 2006. Luisa Miller requires great technical gifts and vocal extension of its four leading roles. Luisa (Darina Takova) is portrayed now with delicate touches now

with bold strokes, in a manner that anticipates the great heroines of the popular trilogy. Rodolfo, here interpreted by Roberto Sabbatini, has a very difficult mid-high tessitura and the classical

boldness of the tenor is accompanied by openly elegiac accents that had rarely before been heard in the tenor roles created by Verdi.