Album

Naïve has set itself the daunting task of recording all the works of the Antonio Vivaldi from the collection at the Biblioteca Nazionale Universitaria in Turin, about 450 works in all. The composer wrote nearly 50 operas, of which 15 are in this collection, and Naïve is doing a splendid job of presenting them to modern audiences with the utmost care, professionalism, and passion. This recording of La fida ninfa (1732), featuring some of the most expert performers of Baroque opera, won a prestigious Diapason d'Or award. Jean-Christophe Spinosi leads the French ensemble Matheus in a performance of enormously supple energy and musical finesse. Both elements are essential for this repertoire; the music demands the highest level of show-stopping virtuosity, both from the singers and the instrumentalists, but without being driven of a sure sense of the drama, it could come off merely as pyrotechnic note-spinning. Spinosi and his performers are fully successful in exposing the opera's dramatic contours, and in mining the emotional depth of the characters. The soloists, without exception, demonstrate complete mastery of Baroque performance practice, and they bring their characters to life with distinctive individuality without sacrificing wonderfully pure tone. Soprano Sandrine Piau is especially breathtaking in the precision and agility of her stratospheric coloratura. The other principals, soprano Verónica Cangemi, contralto Marie-Nicole Lemieux, bass Lorenzo Regazzo, countertenor Philippe Jaroussky, and tenor Topi Lehtipuu are no less effective. La fida ninfa departs from the conventions of late Baroque operas in enough particulars to make especially intriguing; Vivaldi includes a number of small ensembles, often significantly alters the da capo sections of the arias, and is not afraid of making startling metric shifts for dramatic effect. Naïve's sound is crystal clear, with excellent presence and balance.

© Stephen Eddins, Rovi

CD 1 of 3
Antonio Vivaldi Composer L'Olimpiade, RV725 (opera) Work 5:16 Matheus Ensemble Ensemble, Jean-Christophe Spinosi Conductor
1	Sinfonia, RV 725. Allegro	2:04			$0.99
2	Sinfonia, RV 725. Andante	2:10			$0.99
3	Sinfonia, RV 725. Allegro molto	1:02			$0.99
Antonio Vivaldi Composer La fida ninfa, RV714 (opera in 3 acts) Work 3:07:55 Topi Lehtipuu Tenor, Marie-Nicole Lemieux Contralto, Sara Mingardo Contralto, Veronica Cangemi Soprano, Jean-Christophe Spinosi Conductor, Philippe Jaroussky Countertenor, Sandrine Piau Soprano, Matheus Ensemble Ensemble, Lorenzo Regazzo Bass, Christian Senn Vasquez Baritone
4	Act I Scene 1: Recitative (Oralto, Morasto)	3:10			$0.99
5	Act I Scene 1: Aria: Chi dal cielo (Oralto)	3:53			$0.99
6	Act I Scene 2: Recitative (Morasto)	1:16			$0.99
7	Act I Scene 2: Aria: Dolce fiamma, del mio petto (Morasto)	6:36			$0.99
8	Act I Scene 3: Recitative (Elpina, Osmino)	1:44			$0.99
9	Act I Scene 3: Duet: Dimmi pastore - Ninfa ti spiega (Elpina, Osmino)	2:41			$0.99
10	Act I Scene 4: Aria: Selve annose, erme foreste (Licori)	3:00			$0.99
11	Act I Scene 4: Recitative (Licori, Narete)	1:06			$0.99
12	Act I Scene 5: Recitative (Morasto, Narete)	1:36			$0.99
13	Act I Scene 6: Recitative (Elpina, Morasto)	2:19			$0.99
14	Act I Scene 7: Recitative (Elpina)	0:33			$0.99
15	Act I Scene 7: Aria: Aure lievi, che spirate (Elpina)	5:53			$0.99
16	Act I Scene 8: Recitative (Osmino, Licori)	1:01			$0.99
17	Act I Scene 9: Recitative (Elpina, Osmino, Licori)	2:36			$0.99
18	Act I Scene 9: Aria: Alma oppressa da sorte crudele (Licori)	4:54			$0.99
19	Act I Scene 10: Recitative (Oralto, Morasto)	1:44			$0.99
20	Act I Scene 10: Aria: Cor ritroso, che non consente (Oralto)	3:45			$0.99
21	Act I Scene 11: Recitative (Morasto)	0:53			$0.99
22	Act I Scene 11: Aria: Dimmi, amore (Morasto)	1:09			$0.99
23	Act I Scene 12: Recitative (Narete, Licori, Elpina)	1:57			$0.99
24	Act I Scene 12: Trio: S'egli e ver, ch la sua rota (Narete, Licori, Elpina)	3:25			$0.99

CD 2 of 3
1	Act II Scene 1: Recitative (Morasto, Licori)	2:08			$0.99
2	Act II Scene 1: Aria: Il mio core, a chi la diede (Licori)	5:52			$0.99
3	Act II Scene 2: Recitative (Osmino, Elpina)	0:45			$0.99
4	Act II Scene 2: Aria: Egli e vano il dirmi ognora (Elpina)	0:52			$0.99
5	Act II Scene 2: Recitative (Elpina, Osmino)	2:39			$0.99
6	Act II Scene 2: Aria: Ah, che non posso, no (Osmino)	6:07			$0.99
7	Act II Scene 3: Recitative (Narete, Oralto)	1:41			$0.99
8	Act II Scene 3: Aria: Deh, ti piega, deh consenti (Narete)	9:09			$1.49
9	Act II Scene 4: Recitative (Licori, Osmino)	2:12			$0.99
10	Act II Scene 4: Aria: Amor mio, la cruda sorte (Licori)	6:50			$0.99
11	Act II Scene 5: Recitative (Osmino)	0:30			$0.99
12	Act II Scene 6: Recitative (Oralto, Morasto)	1:38			$0.99
13	Act II Scene 6: Aria: Ami la donna imbelle (Oralto)	2:45			$0.99
14	Act II Scene 7: Recitative (Morasto, Licori)	2:35			$0.99
15	Act II Scene 8: Recitative (Oralto, Morasto, Licori)	1:12			$0.99
16	Act II Scene 9: Recitative (Morasto, Osmino)	1:14			$0.99
17	Act II Scene 9: Aria: Qual serpe tortuosa (Osmino)	3:39			$0.99
18	Act II Scene 10: Recitative (Morasto)	0:52			$0.99
19	Act II Scene 10: Aria: Destin avaro (Morasto)	5:04			$0.99
20	Act II Scene 11: Recitative (Narete)	0:44			$0.99
21	Act II Scene 11: Aria: Non tempesta ch gl'alberi sfronda (Narete)	4:49			$0.99
22	Act II Scene 12: Recitative (Osmino, Licori, Elpina, Morasto)	1:30			$0.99
23	Act II Scene 12: Quatuor: Cosi, su gl'occhi miei? (Osmino, Licori, Elpina, Morasto)	2:52			$0.99

CD 3 of 3
1	Act III Scene 1: Recitative (Narete, Licori, Elpina)	1:32			$0.99
2	Act III Scene 1: Aria: Cerva che al monte (Elpina)	3:58			$0.99
3	Act III Scene 2: Recitative (Oralto, Elpina, Narete)	0:30			$0.99
4	Act III Scene 3: Recitative (Oralto)	0:27			$0.99
5	Act III Scene 3: Aria: Ben talar meco s'addiro (Oralto)	0:45			$0.99
6	Act III Scene 3: Recitative (Oralto, Licori)	1:59			$0.99
7	Act III Scene 4: Recitative (Morasto, Orasto)	0:51			$0.99
8	Act III Scene 5: Recitative (Licori, Elpina, Narete)	0:50			$0.99
9	Act III Scene 5: Aria: Vado, si, dove a te piace (Licori)	2:44			$0.99
10	Act III Scene 6: Recitative (Morasto)	0:58			$0.99
11	Act III Scene 6: Aria: Vanne, ingrata, e per vendetta (Morasto)	5:07			$0.99
12	Act III Scene 7: Recitative (Osmino, Narete)	0:40			$0.99
13	Act III Scene 7: Duet: Pan, ch'ognum venera (Osmino, Narete)	1:36			$0.99
14	Act III Scene 8: Recitative (Elpina, Narete)	0:54			$0.99
15	Act III Scene 9: Recitative (Oralto, Morasto, Elpina, Narete)	2:36			$0.99
16	Act III Scene 9: Aria: Perdo ninfa, ch'era una dea (Oralto)	3:28			$0.99
17	Act III Scene 10: Recitative (Licori, Osmino, Morasto, Elpina, Narete)	0:47			$0.99
18	Act III Scene 10: Aria: Dite, oime! Ditelo, al fine (Morasto)	2:50			$0.99
19	Act III Scene 11: Recitative (Licori, Osmino, Morasto, Elpina, Narete)	1:20			$0.99
20	Act III Scene 11: Aria: Cento donzelle (Elpina)	2:46			$0.99
21	Act III Scene 11: Recitative (Licori, Morasto, Elpina)	2:08			$0.99
22	Act III Scene 11: Aria: Tra inospite rupi (Morasto)	3:00			$0.99
23	Act III Scene 11: Recitative (Licori, Morasto, Narete, Osmino, Elpina)	3:26			$0.99
24	Act III Scene 11: Aria: Dalla gioia e dall' amore (Licori)	3:25			$0.99
25	Act III Scene 11: Recitative (Morasto, Osmino, Elpina, Licori, Narete)	2:10			$0.99
26	Act III Scene 11: Recitative (Elpina, Licori, Morasto, Osmino, Narete)	0:57			$0.99
27	Act III Scene 11: Te invochiamo, o Giunone (Chorus)	0:51			$0.99
28	Act III Scene 11: Sinfonia, "Tempesta di mare"	1:07			$0.99
29	Act III Scene 11: Aria: Dagl'egri mortali (Giunone)	2:32			$0.99
30	Act III Scene 11: Recitative (Giunone) #1.	0:26			$0.99
31	Act III Scene 11: Sinfonia	1:00			$0.99
32	Act I Scene 11: Recitative (Giunone)	0:36			$0.99
33	Act III Scene 11: Recitative (Eolo, Giunone)	1:35			$0.99
34	Act III Scene 11: Aria: Spirti indomabili qual nuovo fremita (Eolo)	0:56			$0.99
35	Act III Scene 11: Recitative (Eolo)	0:18			$0.99
36	Act III Scene 11: Menuet	1:19			$0.99
37	Act III Scene 11: Recitative (Giunone) #2.	1:14			$0.99
38	Act III Scene 11: Aria: Non temer, che splendera (Eolo)	0:44			$0.99
39	Act III Scene 11: Aria: Ma giovar questo non puo (Giunone)	0:43			$0.99