Caritea Nana Gordaze

Don Diego Sonia Lee

Don Alfonso Jacek Laszczkowski

Don Rodrigo Gregory Bonfatti

Don Fernando Nicolas Rivenq

Corrado Ayhan Ustuk

Orchestra Internazionale d'Italia Opera - Coro da Camera di Bratislava; Nuova Era 7258/60 (3 CDs)

Up to a few years ago, the period between Rossini's last opera for Italy (Semiramide, 1823), and Bellini's Il Pirata (1827) was a virtual "terra incognita". Anyone who is familiar with this period realizes that there is a great gulf between the Rossini and the Bellini, and is likely to wonder whether all the innovations were instituted by Bellini, or whether there are one or more missing links. But all this changed in the 1990s. The first work to become available on CD was, of course, Meyerbeer's Il Crociato in Egitto (1824) released by Opera Rara in 1992

Il Crociato in Egitto, already shows a few departures from Rossini's style. The Vaccai Giulietta e Romeo (1825-performed in Jesi last year) turned out to be another "missing link", with many anticipations of Bellini. L'Ultimo Giorno di Pompei (Pacini, also 1825) was also revived last year and is due to be released momentarily; in fact, it may already be out in Europe. This is one of the most important missing links of all, and anticipates Bellini, and to a lesser extent, Donizetti at many points. Mercadante must have been familiar with the Pacini work, since he was in Naples at the time it was first given.

While there are many small departures from Rossini's style in Caritea, these are less prominent than in the Pacini or Vaccai operas, and are not enough to dispel the initial impression on hearing it that one is listening to Rossini, rather than to an opera by the Mercadante we know from his later works, beginning with Il Giuramento.

But the music is extremely beautiful, and the erstwhile success of the opera was very well deserved. The once famous chorus "Chi per la patria muor" is outstanding, and I challenge anyone who listens to the CD not to play this piece again and again, after first hearing it. It has a particularily "catchy" tune, which is hard to forget. There also are many other beautiful moments in the score, all of which help make it memorable. Thus, this recording is extremely welcome, and I am delighted to have it. Other Mercadante or Rossini fans should enjoy it as well.

As for the recording itself, the singing is not as good as that in the many recent Rossini recordings, especially those featuring Chris Merritt, Bruce Ford, and/or William Matteuzzi. However, in view of the difficulties with the casting, so ably explained by Segalini in the liner notes, we must be delighted that it did take place. But it is certainly adequate, and fails to detract from the enjoyment of the opera.

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