Il Ritorno di Ulisse in Patria

Opera in one Prologue and three Acts

Libretto by Giacomo Badoaro

Live recorded at Teatro della Pergola in Florence, between June 28th and 30th, 2021.

Details:

Cast

Ulisse – Charles Workman
Telemaco – Anicio Zorzi Giustiniani
Penelope – Delphine Galou
Iro – John Daszak
Il Tempo – Francesco Milanese
Giunone – Marina De Liso
La Fortuna – Eleonora Bellocci
L’Humana fragilità – Pierre Antoine Chaumien; Miriam Albano; Mark Milhofer
Giove – Gianluca Margheri
Nettuno – Guido Loconsolo
Minerva – Arianna Vendittelli
Amore – Konstantin Derri
Antinoo – Andrea Patucelli
Anfinomo – Pierre Antoine Chaumien
Pisandro – James Hall
Melanto – Miriam Albano
Eurimaco – Hugo Hymas
Eumete – Mark Milhofer
Ericlea – Natascha Petrinsky

Ottavio Dantone – direttore

Accademia Bizantina

A pioneer in the development of opera, Claudio Monteverdi took vocal music beyond Renaissance polyphony into an era when genuine feelings and emotions could be expressed. Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria is part of a late flourish in Monteverdi’s illustrious career, and is considered the most tender and moving of his operas. His hero Ulysses is forced to undergo cruel trials, adversity, betrayal and deception before he can be reunited with his beloved Queen Penelope and recover his kingdom.
This acclaimed production is directed by renowned early music specialist Ottavio Dantone, who considers Il ritorno di Ulisse in patria

“the most beautiful opera ever written”.

Reviews:

The stars of the show are Charles Workman as Ulysses and Arianna Vendittelli as the goddess Minerva. Workman has real stage presence and can colour his voice to convey bravura, tenderness, reflectiveness and much else. Vendittelli’s sound is bright and warm.

Alla riuscita dello spettacolo presta ovviamente un contributo decisivo la direzione di Ottavio Dantone, equilibrato e brillante nel dosare accenti e sonorità alla guida dei suoi preziosi strumentisti dell'Accademia Bizantina. Il gusto nella concertazione e la morbidezza nel gesto conferiscono anima, teatralità e colori alla non breve opera

Dantone’s impossibly rich, inventive orchestral realisation – sonic lighting that throws emphasis and casts shadow, guiding the ear as effectively as any designer.