Il ritorno d’Ulisse Archive

MONTEVERDI: Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria (comp. opera) – Soloists/ Boston Baroque/ Martin Pearlman – Linn

by Audiophile Audition | Jul 15, 2016 | SACD & Other Hi-Res Reviews

A much needed seminal recording of a work that has to have a broader audience. MONTEVERDI: Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria (comp. opera) – Fernando Guimarães (Ulisse)/ Jennifer Rivera (Penelope)/ Aaron Sheehan (Telemaco)/ Leah Wool (Minerva)/ Owen McIntosh (Giove)/ Abigail Nims (Melanto)/ Daniel Auchincloss (Eumaeus)/ Sonja DuToit Tengblad (Juno)/ Ulysses Thomas (Antinous)/ Marc Molomot (Irus)/ Boston Baroque/ Martin Pearlman – Linn multichannel SACD CKD 451 (3 discs), 176 minutes [Distr. by Naxos] *****: Monteverdi composed—that we know of—only three operas, which is odd considering his reputation as opera composer is so sterling. Not without reason—one only needs to watch Danielle de Niese in the Glyndebourne production of L’Incoronazione di Poppea for a fabulously dramatic experience, and understand what the composer is capable of. L’Orfeo is only a little less than this standard, and even the opera under review, despite what many critics say, reaches its heights as well in my opinion. Despite the fact that there are about sixteen media versions available, often severely cut, including those going into the 1970s by Harnoncourt, and even more importantly, Raymond Leppard (1973), there are only a few discreet performances available. To this point, Rene Jacobs must lead the charge, with the incredible […]