Stefan Plewniak, Orchestre de l'Opéra Royal - Nicola Antonio Zingarelli: Giulietta e Romeo (2021)

Napoleon was intensely enthusiastic about opera. The conquering music lover called for the young Italian star, the contralto Giuseppina Grassini, and the most magnificent castrato: Girolamo Crescentini to perform for him. He was the only singer to move the Emperor to tears. Crescentini was invited to France from 1806 to 1812. He sang at glorious evening performances at the Tuileries Imperial Chapel with Grassini, named First Cantatrice to His Majesty the Emperor – and his mistress. Napoleon had an incredible passion for Italian opera, as shown by the 143 Italian soloist concerts given at the Court between 1810 and 1815! Zingarelli’s Giulietta e Romeo opera was a major performance given by Grassini and Crescentini. It was created at the Scala en 1796 and performed several times in Paris before Napoleon by his two favorite singers. “They make heroism burst forth in me”, Napoleon would say. Franco Fagioli and Adèle Charvet revive the pair of Empire stars in a selection of the main acts of Zingarelli’s opera – completely forgotten today whereas it was a triumph throughout Europe for three decades – thanks to a splendid Bel Canto: this is Napoleon’s Opera!

Performer:
Romeo - Franco Fagioli, countertenor
Giulietta - Adèle Charvet, mezzo-soprano
Everardo, Teobaldo - Philippe Talbot, tenor
Orchestre de l'Opéra Royal
Stefan Plewniak, direction

Track List:
Nicola Antonio Zingarelli (1752–1837)
Giulietta e Romeo
01. Ouverture
02. Acte I. Scène 1 «Vieni o gentil donzella» – «Che vago sembiante» – «Quale oggetto eterni dei!» (Giulietta, Romeo, Matilde, Gilberto et chœur)
03. Scène 1 «Smarrita, sconsigliata» (Giulietta, Romeo, Teobaldo, Everardo)
04. Scène 7 «Deh per pietà» (Giulietta, Romeo, Matilde)
05. Scène 9 «Adora i cenni tuoi» (Giulietta)
06. Scène 10 «Là dai regni dell'ombre» (Everardo)
07. Scène 11 «Le stigie furie» (Teobaldo et chœur)
08. Scène 12 «Modera l'ire tue» (Romeo)
09. Scènes 14 & 15 «Io vile, Indegno!» – «Fermate: cessate» (Romeo, Teobaldo, Gilberto, Giulietta, Everardo et chœur)
10. Acte II. Scène 2 «Giusto ciel!» (Romeo, Everardo)
11. Scène 6 «Qual sarà il mio contento» (Romeo)
12. Scène 7 «Qual improvviso tremito!» (Giulietta)
13. Acte III. Scène 1 «Ecco il luogo : ecco l'urna» (Romeo et chœur)
14. Scène 1 «Idolo del mio cor» (Romeo)
15. Scène 1 «Odiosa mi si rende» (Giulietta, Romeo)
16. Scène 3 «Giovane afflitta» (Giulietta, Romeo, Matilde, Teobaldo, Gilberto, Everardo et chœur)