Friday, July 27, 2012
Opera What the Olympics sounded like, circa 1733
Posted by Andrew Alexander @AndrewAWriter on Fri, Jul 27, 2012 at 11:25 AM
Although the first attempts to fully emulate the Olympic Games of Ancient Greece didn't occur until the dawn of the 19th century, Europe already had Olympic fever way back in the early 1700s, along with a mania for all things Greek, and this popularity extended to opera, where Ancient Greece and the Olympic Games became fashionable subjects for the stage.
The famous Italian poet Metastasio wrote an Olympics-themed libretto titled L'Olimpiade that became the basis for operas by no fewer than 50 composers. It's an Arcadian love story that involves a lot of sub-plots, disguises, banishment, tested loyalties, mistaken identity, and so on, and it all culminates in a race at the Olympic Games (the winner gets the girl natch).
The musicians of the Venice Baroque Orchestra recently dug through the scores for these operas—many of them long forgotten, growing dusty in music libraries and conservatories around the world—and have presented their favorites on a two CD set to coincide with this year's Summer Olympics in London. There's one aria by Vivaldi, but most of the CD consists of work by less familiar composers: Caldara, Pergolesi, Leo, Galuppi, Perez, Hasse, Traetta, Jommelli, Piccinni, Gassman, Myslivecek, Cherubini, Cimarosa and Paisiello.
Considering the unfamiliarity of some of the names on the list and how long the pieces have remained unheard, it's surprising to discover how lively and engaging the music is. Even with all the great recent recordings of Baroque opera, this one stands out for its zingy energy. The Orchestra plays it all with fluidity and grace, and the supple vocal performances by the six young vocalists are all impressive. The CD mercifully leaves out recitative passages (You won't reach the end ready to take a hatchet to a harpsichord, even after a long car trip).
With L'Olimpiade, the Venice Baroque Orchestra goes for the gold and gets it. It's a great way to celebrate the Olympic experience, past and present.
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