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Meyerbeer in Italy

Performers:	Bruce Ford, Chris Merritt, et al.	Click Image To See Full Size Pic
CD Title:	*Meyerbeer in Italy*
Composer:	Giacomo Meyerbeer
CD INFO:	Opera Rara ORR222
Reviewer:	Ward Botsford


Listen to A Soundtrack From This CD Excerpt used: Meyer - Concerto for Cello and Double Bass (Movement 2)
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What's On This CD:

1. Il Crociato in Egitto, opera (heroic melodrama) in 2 acts Queste destre
Composed by Giacomo Meyerbeer
Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Bruce Ford
Conducted by David Parry
2. Il Crociato in Egitto, opera (heroic melodrama) in 2 acts Palpitò dolente
Composed by Giacomo Meyerbeer
Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Bruce Ford
Conducted by David Parry

3. Il Crociato in Egitto, opera (heroic melodrama) in 2 acts Rassicurata da suoi timori
Composed by Giacomo Meyerbeer
Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Bruce Ford
Conducted by David Parry

4. Romilda e Costanza, opera (melodramma semiserio) in 2 acts Trio. Che barbaro tormento
Composed by Giacomo Meyerbeer
Performed by Philharmonia Orchestra with Chris Merritt, Bronwen Mills, Anne Mason
Conducted by David Parry

5. Semiramide, opera Aria. Il paicer, la gioja scenda'
Composed by Gioachino Rossini
Performed by Philharmonia Orchestra with Yvonne Kenny
Conducted by David Parry

6. Emma di Resburgo, opera (heroic melodrama) in 2 acts Sextet. Di gioja, di pace
Composed by Giacomo Meyerbeer
Performed by Philharmonia Orchestra with Maria Bovino, Bronwen Mills, Diana Montague, Harry Nicoll, Paul Nilon, Geoffrey Dolton
Conducted by David Parry

7. Il Crociato in Egitto, opera (heroic melodrama) in 2 acts Duet. Ah! non ti son più cara
Composed by Giacomo Meyerbeer
Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Yvonne Kenny, Diana Montague
Conducted by David Parry

8. Il Crociato in Egitto, opera (heroic melodrama) in 2 acts Duet. Non v'è per noi più speme
Composed by Giacomo Meyerbeer
Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Yvonne Kenny, Diana Montague
Conducted by David Parry

9. Margherita d'Anjou, opera (melodramma semiserio) in 2 acts Trio. Pensa, e guarda. Amico, all'erta!
Composed by Giacomo Meyerbeer
Performed by Philharmonia Orchestra with Alastair Miles, Russell Smythe, Geoffrey Dolton
Conducted by David Parry

10. Il Crociato in Egitto, opera (heroic melodrama) in 2 acts Aria. Cara mano dell'amore
Composed by Giacomo Meyerbeer
Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Della Jones
Conducted by David Parry

11. L'Esule di Granata, opera (heroic melodrama) in 2 acts Duetto. Sì, mel credi
Composed by Giacomo Meyerbeer
Performed by Philharmonia Orchestra with Alastair Miles, Patricia Spence
Conducted by David Parry

12. L'Esule di Granata, opera (heroic melodrama) in 2 acts Duetto. Il trono avito
Composed by Giacomo Meyerbeer
Performed by Philharmonia Orchestra with Alastair Miles, Patricia Spence
Conducted by David Parry

13. L'Esule di Granata, opera (heroic melodrama) in 2 acts Duetto. Trema i tuoi complici
Composed by Giacomo Meyerbeer
Performed by Philharmonia Orchestra with Alastair Miles, Patricia Spence
Conducted by David Parry

14. Il Crociato in Egitto, opera (heroic melodrama) in 2 acts Act 1. Finale. Sogni, e ridenti
Composed by Giacomo Meyerbeer
Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Ugo Benelli, Bruce Ford, Della Jones, Yvonne Kenny, Linda Kitchen, Diana Montague, Ian Platt
Conducted by David Parry

15. Il Crociato in Egitto, opera (heroic melodrama) in 2 acts Act 1. Finale. Ite, superbi
Composed by Giacomo Meyerbeer
Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Ugo Benelli, Bruce Ford, Della Jones, Yvonne Kenny, Linda Kitchen, Diana Montague, Ian Platt
Conducted by David Parry

16. Il Crociato in Egitto, opera (heroic melodrama) in 2 acts Act 1. Finale. All'armi vi chiama
Composed by Giacomo Meyerbeer
Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Ugo Benelli, Bruce Ford, Della Jones, Yvonne Kenny, Linda Kitchen, Diana Montague, Ian Platt
Conducted by David Parry

Review:

Meyerbeer’s choice of libretti is part of what gives Opera a bad name. We are fortunate in being able to tune out the laughable and instead turn in the delightful music without distraction.

In short: This is – with reservation noted above – an exhilarating CD, on the whole very capably sung and produced. Actually they are excerpts from previous Opera Rara productions. The principal one being a complete Il Crociato in Egitto from 1990/1991 and the rest from a series called A Hundred Years which first saw light in 1980 to 1993.

Il Crociato, which takes up no less than thirty-seven minutes, is by far the most interesting of the works musically. The libretto has something to do with the Third Crusade … No! No! The Sixth Crusade … sorry, I keep getting those Crusades mixed up. But the music is a real hummer with lots of explosive and melodic music sung here by some really good voices among which are Bruce Ford and Yvonne Kenny not to mention Diana Montague and Della Jones. The RPO and David Parry lend credence to the festivities and this alone makes the CD worth its weight in gold.

None of the rest summons up the same level of praise from my keyboard but nonetheless is very listenable and well done.

The sound is very good and the booklet rather brief but perfectly OK.

Best news – for Meyerbeer lovers anyhow – is that a complete Margherita d’Anjou will be out this fall. Sounds like fun!