This performance of Imelda de’Lambertazzi composed by Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848) was recorded at Henry Wood Hall, London on February/March 2007. The original was first premiered at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples on September 5, 1830 for just two performances. Four more performances were given at the same theatre in April, 1831 with some changes: the addition of a new final scene. Donizetti added a new scene specially written for a different soprano that was to take up the role of Imelda; in this disc’s it appears on Disc 2 – Track 17 under the title of Appendix.
At that time opera buffa was all the rage in Naples and elsewhere in Italy, however, this opera is a prime example of opera seria; its plot is based on medieval Bolognese chronicles and is derived from a history of struggles between two families, the Ghibellines and the Guelphs, and in its broader outline we find the same events as described in Romeo and Juliet to some extent. Imelda (Nicole Cabell – sop) of the Ghibelline’s is in love with Bonifacio (James Westman – bar) of the Guelph’s, both are at the center of the struggle – an impossible situation for medieval standards. This opera was notorious for its unconventionality, with no major tenor arias and very little florid passages from the soprano until the new last scene (Disc 2 – Track 17). Although the heroine (Imelda) is, as expected, a soprano, the hero (Bonifacio) is a baritone, and one tenor is her father which will normally be instead of a tenor a baritone or a bass, and the other tenor is her brother; it is obvious that Donizetti was doing something very different. I think it would be fair to think of this particular performance as a “discovery” of sorts – an unknown Donizetti is presented here.
The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment uses its totally period instruments which provide a clear musical line, transparent and light. The use of period brass instruments lends an especial sound to the orchestra while in the string choir gut strings bring nothing but precision, intensity and brightness to the music. The most impressive of all is the initial prelude with the incisively bright strings, the ominous high and low brasses and the deadly roll of the drums as well as Track 19 (Disc 1) for its tight dramatic opera orchestral and voice line.
Now to the voices; is not until Track 6 (Disc 1) that Cabell makes her entrance with a beautiful Cavatina totally devoid of trills and fiorituras and her singing will continue as such which moves us to firmly put this opera outside the prevalent bel canto tradition. Right from the beginning she easily gets under the skin of her character; her singing is even, especially in the middle register where so much of the music is. By Track 8 (Disc 1) she has amply asserted her dark-soprano voice; her tessitura approaches that of a lyric light mezzo-soprano. Her performance in Act 2, Scene 3, beginning in Track 5 (Disc 2) defines her technique as a lyric soprano while in Track 19’s (Disc 2) in the added finale (the Appendix) we can hear all her in full coloratura glory. From the technical point of view she is an amazing singer and one able to convey all the emotional feelings this drama elicits from everybody, orchestra included.
On the other hand the baritone James Westman has a very sonorous voice but exhibits little dramatic conviction with a not so sharp sense of the words; his diction is suspect as is the dramatic content he imparts to his role; however, Frank Lopardo (ten) and Brindley Sherratt (bass) amply perform their roles. Massimo Giordano’s (ten) rather metallic ringing voice breaks here and there most notably in Track 18 (Disc 1) but not much is lost because of his performance. In general all the voices and specially the choir provide a strong support system with a very energetic directorial hand from Mark Elder the conductor.
As Rossini had abandoned with his Guglielmo Tell (1829) the Italian opera model for the French grand opera model, Donizetti continued at the same time with the simpler Italian model of the orchestra, and Mark Elder correctly understands this differentiation. Donizetti’s orchestra accompanies and is a subordinate element to the singing, never striving for any soloist effects; for him the orchestra is in the opera primarily as the organ of harmony and melody. As such the music’s aim is to convey emotion and to make a credible effect and the conductor and this period instrument orchestra balance the very subtle dynamics admirably to lend much credibility with their careful balancing of the various degrees of power of tones. To wit, the balance of loudness and softness is exemplary and is finely presented by the high resolution of this SACD recording. It should be noted as that there is no ballet, a rather unusual turn of events which defied all popular conventions and taste.
Final words: in my opinion the real stars of this performance are the orchestra and its conductor. A highly recommended recording of a “lost” opera and a must for Verdi connoisseurs as well; if in doubt take a good look at his Lady Macbeth. Kudos to Opera Rara for the great open surround sound of this recording.
— John Nemaric
