VIVALDI: La Senna festeggiante – Yetzabel Arias Fernandez (L’eta Dell’oro)/ Martin Oro (La Virtu)/ Sergio Foresti (La Senna)/ La Risonanza/ Fabio Bonizzoni, harpsichord & cond. – Glossa GCD 921513, 78:12 [Distr. by Naxos] ****:
The Festive Seine is of a genre that Vivaldi produced three examples, the serenata or dramatic cantata. They were different from operas in that the action revolved in a democratic manner among two or three characters, conversing about topics as opposed to dramatic interaction. Sometimes there was staging, even with scenery, and other times more of what we know today as a “concert performance”. Usually they were written for special and celebratory occasions, and it was not usual for the dedicatee to have his or her name mentioned in the last scene in some kind of adulatory manner. In this instance, as a result of a close relationship to the French ambassador, the celebration was to be of the King of France’s name day, August 25th, the feast of St. Louis. The date of composition was probably 1726.
The story involves two allegorical characters, “The Golden Age” and “Virtue”, who wander in search of their lost happiness. “The Seine” joins up with them and offers to lead them to their desired goal. At the end they meet up with the French monarch, and offer him all sorts of praises. The work lacks an ending, perhaps the most important part, which is missing in the manuscript. This recording uses the words and music from a 1725 serenata of Vivaldi to reach a satisfactory, if not perfect, conclusion.
The piece has had many performances despite the absence of a standard performing edition, and must be ranked among the composer’s finest works. Wind instruments are kept to a minimum, using only oboes and recorders with the chorus. But it sounds like Vivaldi, perhaps the most immediately recognizable composer of the Baroque, and the vocal lines are florid and quite difficult. The performers here, especially soprano Yetzabel Arias Fernandez and bass Sergio Foresti, are superb. I am less enthusiastic about male alto Martin Oro because I don’t generally like the tonal qualities of countertenors, but he is technically quite proficient. The orchestra is sparkling and on the money intonation-wise, making for a fine recording of some Vivaldi we don’t hear too often on record.
—Steven Ritter
