Gaetano Donizetti had big shoes to fill at his debut in Naples in 1823, arriving at the Teatro di San Carlo just after Rossini’s departure, full of talent but still seeking his true voice. Alfredo il grande is influenced by Rossini, but also shows hints of great things to come. The narrative is a celebration of heroism and magnanimous royalty, taking us to 9th-century England where King Alfred the Great is on the run from the Vikings. Revived two centuries after the spectacular failure of its premiere, this little-known opera seria can now stand as a reflection on humanitarian values and gestures of resistance against the destructiveness of war.
Conducted by Corrado Rovaris, the music director of Opera Philadelphia and born in Bergamo. He was awarded a knighthood by the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 2015, and was honoured in 2016 with the Franco Abbiati Prize.
New staging directed by Stefano Simone Pintor.
‘… The clear orchestral writing found worthy restitution in the reading of Corrado Rovaris, characterised by precise rhythmic stability, liveliness and variety of colours and a flexible dynamic articulation. The accompaniment on both the canto and the recitative is scrupulous. …
‘… Overall, the cast is excellent. Starting with Antonino Siragusa, a solid protagonist in singing and confident in his stage presence, who confirms once again how his voice – in terms of line, taste and expressiveness, both in recitatives and in coloratura – is perfect for the Italian repertoire of the early nineteenth century. The same goes for Gilda Fiume, engaged with excellent results in the role of the English queen Amalia, characterised by a difficult virtuosic writing resolved with class and stylistic property. Her voice is wide, with a beautiful light colour, the accent is always incisive, her musicality is excellent.’
– Connessi all'Opera
‘Siragusa is a Rossini tenor who dazzles with his high notes… The revelation of the evening was soprano Gilda Fiume.’ – Concertonet.com
