Only a handful at most will be familiar even to the most ardent Vivaldi enthusiasts: these belong to Tito Manlio (1719) and La verità in cimento (1720), both of which operas have been recorded in more or less complete versions. Sixteen of them, all belonging to the years between 17 when Vivaldi was engaged outside Venice – mainly in Mantua – are featured in this attractive recital.

This is no haphazard ‘highlights’ disc but a selection of arias apparently made by Vivaldi himself from an anthology containing 47 in all.

Invernizzi’s interpretation is aided and abetted by La Risonanza’s fine group of instrumentalists and, of course, there is sympathetic direction from Fabio Bonizzoni, speaking volumes for his long musical association with Roberta Invernizzi.Ī wonderful opportunity to get closer to the unfolding world of Vivaldi’s dramatic music with the dazzling and alluring voice of Roberta Invernizzi.PERFORMER: Sandrine Piau (soprano), Ann Hallenberg, Guillemette Laurens (mezzo-soprano), Paul Agnew (tenor) Modo Antiquo/Federico Maria Sardelli The programme offers a set of contrasts in known arias from Vivaldi’s operatic music and those which deserve to be better-known (and which surely will). And a whole range of emotional high and low points – embracing anger, despair, anxiety, amorous frustration and touching intensity – are captured by Invernizzi, crowned by her electrifying performance of Dopo un’orrida procella from Griselda. Invernizzi is known for her style and dramatic vividness in the music of the Baroque (such as on recent discs of Handel and Campra), perfectly suitable for this new rollercoaster journey of the emotions released by Glossa, courtesy of Vivaldi’s own fertile dramatic capacity to capture moods – pastoral evocations, storms at sea, hunting and even prison scenes.

05 Rete, lacci e strali adopra (Geminiano Giacomelli)Ĕ:14ġ0 Nacque al bosco e nacque al pratoĔ:07Ī new recording from Roberta Invernizzi always betokens pleasure, but the rare occasion when the Italian soprano is placed in the spotlight – as with this new collection of opera arias by Antonio Vivaldi – promises something very special indeed.

Vivaldi opera arias