Saverio Mercadante – Il Salotto, Volume One: Les Soirées Italiennes (Opera Rara ORR206, 1999) CD

UPC: 792938020624 

MPN: ORR 206 

Brand Name: Opera Rara 

Product Type: Audio CD – Vocal Recital / Chamber Music

Overview

Il Salotto, Volume One – Les Soirées Italiennes revives the elegant charm of Saverio Mercadante’s 19th-century salon songs, performed by some of the finest bel canto interpreters of our time. Featuring a world-class cast—Nelly Miricioiu, Yvonne Kenny, William Matteuzzi, Bruce Ford, Alastair Miles, and Garry Magee—accompanied by pianist David Harper, this collection recreates the intimate world of Italian high-society music gatherings.

These arias and duets, filled with melodic beauty and emotional nuance, highlight Mercadante’s gift for lyrical expressiveness that foreshadowed the mature Romantic style of Verdi and Donizetti. Recorded in London and released by Opera Rara in 1999, the album marks the beginning of the label’s celebrated Il Salotto series dedicated to rare 19th-century vocal treasures.

Product Features

• Format: Compact Disc (Audio CD)
• Sound: Digital Stereo
• Total Tracks: 17
• Total Duration: Approximately 75 minutes
• Language: Italian
• Genre: Vocal Chamber Music / Bel Canto Song
• Recording Year: 1999
• Label: Opera Rara, London
• Country of Manufacture: England

Track Listing

1. Il brindisi – Bruce Ford, Alastair Miles (3:48)
2. La primavera – Yvonne Kenny (4:22)
3. La serenata del marinaro – William Matteuzzi (2:54)
4. Il zeffiro – Nelly Miricioiu (5:47)
5. L’asilo al pellegrino – Bruce Ford (8:24)
6. Il galop – Alastair Miles, Garry Magee (1:53)
7. Desiato ritorno – Nelly Miricioiu (4:30)
8. Lamento del moribondo – Bruce Ford (6:09)
9. La pesca – Yvonne Kenny, Nelly Miricioiu (5:21)
10. Il pastore svizzero – William Matteuzzi (5:09)
11. La zingarella spagnuola – Yvonne Kenny (4:43)
12. La caccia – Bruce Ford, William Matteuzzi (2:46)
13. Un pensiero sopra Sorrento – Alastair Miles (5:54)
14. La preghiera – Bruce Ford (1:57)
15. Tornan le fronde al bosco – Yvonne Kenny (2:07)
16. A mia figlia – Alastair Miles (5:19)
17. La rosa – Yvonne Kenny (2:17)

Piano: David Harper

Interesting Facts

• Rediscovery of Romantic Art Song: Il Salotto is a pioneering Opera Rara project devoted to rare 19th-century Italian vocal music, often never recorded before.
• Elite Bel Canto Cast: The singers—Miricioiu, Kenny, Matteuzzi, Ford, and Miles—represent the golden generation of bel canto revival artists.
• Salon Atmosphere: Each piece evokes the charm and intimacy of aristocratic soirées, where composers like Mercadante bridged opera and private art song.
• Collector’s Item: Released in limited quantities, this 1999 edition is now a sought-after recording among vocal and Italian repertoire enthusiasts.

Publishers

© 1999 Opera Rara Ltd., London Produced and released in the United Kingdom. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction, copying, or broadcasting prohibited.

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