![René Clemencic|Vivaldi, A.: Olimpiade (L') [Opera]](https://static.qobuz.com/images/covers/08/29/4011222232908_600.jpg "René Clemencic|Vivaldi, A.: Olimpiade (L') [Opera]")
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It's astonishing that Vivaldi composed L'Olimpiade so late in his career, in 1734, when he was in his mid-fifties, after having demonstrated his mastery of opera with works like Tito Manlio, Orlando furioso, and Atenaide. On the basis of this performance, the opera sounds like it might have been written by an amateur. It starts with an oddly clunky "Sinfonia" that could be generously described as "interesting" in its alternation of phrases of four and three bars' length. The orchestration is at best perfunctory; the bulk of the music seems to have no middle, just a melody high in the violins, and a bass line, with very little, if anything, going on in between. Instances of counterpoint are scarce and rudimentary, and much of the writing sounds like the kind of insubstantial note spinning that can give the Baroque era a bad name. There are some lovely exceptions; the countertenor aria "Mentre dormi amor fomenti" and the duet for soprano and mezzo-soprano "Ne' giorni tuoi felice" stand out for their depth of feeling and musical inventiveness. It's possible that some of the music's lack of effectiveness is due to the performance by Ensemble Vocal La Cappella and Clemencic Consort, conducted by René Clemencic, and that a different, better balanced ensemble could make a more compelling case for the opera, making sense of its musical eccentricities and finding subtleties in its apparent plainness. The vocal soloists are generally erratic, some mediocre and some more than adequate, but their unevenness makes for a roller coaster ride of a listening experience. The standouts are mezzo-soprano Elisabeth von Magnus, soprano Mieke van der Sluis, and (after a rough start), countertenor Gerard Lesne, all of whom sing with fine, focused tone and strong characterizations. The sound quality of the live 1990 performance is generally poor and seems under-engineered, with prominent extraneous sounds like page turning and a singer clearing his throat. The Vivaldi enthusiast interested in L'Olimpiade would do better to explore the 2002 release by Opus 111, which also has the advantage of presenting a more complete version of the opera.
© TiVo
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L'Olimpiade, RV 725 (Antonio Vivaldi)
Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Elisabeth von Magnus, mezzo-soprano - Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Mieke van der Sluis, soprano - Gerard Lesne, counter-tenor - Aris Christoffelis, soprano - William Oberholtzer, bass - Ensemble Vocal La Cappella, Choir - Lucia Meeuwsen, mezzo-soprano - Clemencic Consort, Orchestra
2007 Nuova Era Internazionale 2007 Nuova Era Internazionale
Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Mieke van der Sluis, soprano - William Oberholtzer, bass - Ensemble Vocal La Cappella, Choir - Gerard Lesne, counter-tenor - Lucia Meeuwsen, mezzo-soprano - Elisabeth von Magnus, mezzo-soprano - Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Clemencic Consort, Orchestra - Aris Christoffelis, soprano
2007 Nuova Era Internazionale 2007 Nuova Era Internazionale
Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Elisabeth von Magnus, mezzo-soprano - Mieke van der Sluis, soprano - Gerard Lesne, counter-tenor - William Oberholtzer, bass - Ensemble Vocal La Cappella, Choir - Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Lucia Meeuwsen, mezzo-soprano - Clemencic Consort, Orchestra - Aris Christoffelis, soprano
2007 Nuova Era Internazionale 2007 Nuova Era Internazionale
Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Mieke van der Sluis, soprano - Clemencic Consort, Orchestra - Aris Christoffelis, soprano - Ensemble Vocal La Cappella, Choir - Elisabeth von Magnus, mezzo-soprano - Lucia Meeuwsen, mezzo-soprano - Gerard Lesne, counter-tenor - William Oberholtzer, bass
2007 Nuova Era Internazionale 2007 Nuova Era Internazionale
Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Clemencic Consort, Orchestra - Lucia Meeuwsen, mezzo-soprano - Aris Christoffelis, soprano - William Oberholtzer, bass - Ensemble Vocal La Cappella, Choir - Mieke van der Sluis, soprano - Gerard Lesne, counter-tenor - Elisabeth von Magnus, mezzo-soprano
2007 Nuova Era Internazionale 2007 Nuova Era Internazionale
Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Elisabeth von Magnus, mezzo-soprano - Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Mieke van der Sluis, soprano - William Oberholtzer, bass - Ensemble Vocal La Cappella, Choir - Lucia Meeuwsen, mezzo-soprano - Aris Christoffelis, soprano - Gerard Lesne, counter-tenor - Clemencic Consort, Orchestra
2007 Nuova Era Internazionale 2007 Nuova Era Internazionale
Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Elisabeth von Magnus, mezzo-soprano - Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Mieke van der Sluis, soprano - Clemencic Consort, Orchestra - Gerard Lesne, counter-tenor - Lucia Meeuwsen, mezzo-soprano - Aris Christoffelis, soprano - William Oberholtzer, bass - Ensemble Vocal La Cappella, Choir
2007 Nuova Era Internazionale 2007 Nuova Era Internazionale
Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Elisabeth von Magnus, mezzo-soprano - Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Clemencic Consort, Orchestra - Gerard Lesne, counter-tenor - Lucia Meeuwsen, mezzo-soprano - Aris Christoffelis, soprano - Mieke van der Sluis, soprano - Ensemble Vocal La Cappella, Choir - William Oberholtzer, bass
2007 Nuova Era Internazionale 2007 Nuova Era Internazionale
Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Clemencic Consort, Orchestra - William Oberholtzer, bass - Elisabeth von Magnus, mezzo-soprano - Mieke van der Sluis, soprano - Gerard Lesne, counter-tenor - Lucia Meeuwsen, mezzo-soprano - Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Aris Christoffelis, soprano - Ensemble Vocal La Cappella, Choir
2007 Nuova Era Internazionale 2007 Nuova Era Internazionale
Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Elisabeth von Magnus, mezzo-soprano - Mieke van der Sluis, soprano - Ensemble Vocal La Cappella, Choir - Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Gerard Lesne, counter-tenor - William Oberholtzer, bass - Lucia Meeuwsen, mezzo-soprano - Aris Christoffelis, soprano - Clemencic Consort, Orchestra
2007 Nuova Era Internazionale 2007 Nuova Era Internazionale
Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Elisabeth von Magnus, mezzo-soprano - Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Mieke van der Sluis, soprano - Clemencic Consort, Orchestra - Gerard Lesne, counter-tenor - Lucia Meeuwsen, mezzo-soprano - William Oberholtzer, bass - Ensemble Vocal La Cappella, Choir - Aris Christoffelis, soprano
2007 Nuova Era Internazionale 2007 Nuova Era Internazionale
Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Elisabeth von Magnus, mezzo-soprano - Mieke van der Sluis, soprano - Gerard Lesne, counter-tenor - Lucia Meeuwsen, mezzo-soprano - Aris Christoffelis, soprano - Ensemble Vocal La Cappella, Choir - Rene Clemencic, Conductor - William Oberholtzer, bass - Clemencic Consort, Orchestra
2007 Nuova Era Internazionale 2007 Nuova Era Internazionale
Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Elisabeth von Magnus, mezzo-soprano - Aris Christoffelis, soprano - Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Mieke van der Sluis, soprano - Gerard Lesne, counter-tenor - Ensemble Vocal La Cappella, Choir - Clemencic Consort, Orchestra - Lucia Meeuwsen, mezzo-soprano - William Oberholtzer, bass
2007 Nuova Era Internazionale 2007 Nuova Era Internazionale
Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Mieke van der Sluis, soprano - Ensemble Vocal La Cappella, Choir - Clemencic Consort, Orchestra - Lucia Meeuwsen, mezzo-soprano - Aris Christoffelis, soprano - William Oberholtzer, bass - Elisabeth von Magnus, mezzo-soprano - Gerard Lesne, counter-tenor
2007 Nuova Era Internazionale 2007 Nuova Era Internazionale
DISC 2
Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Elisabeth von Magnus, mezzo-soprano - Mieke van der Sluis, soprano - Gerard Lesne, counter-tenor - Lucia Meeuwsen, mezzo-soprano - William Oberholtzer, bass - Clemencic Consort, Orchestra - Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Aris Christoffelis, soprano - Ensemble Vocal La Cappella, Choir
2007 Nuova Era Internazionale 2007 Nuova Era Internazionale
Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Elisabeth von Magnus, mezzo-soprano - Mieke van der Sluis, soprano - Gerard Lesne, counter-tenor - Lucia Meeuwsen, mezzo-soprano - Ensemble Vocal La Cappella, Choir - William Oberholtzer, bass - Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Clemencic Consort, Orchestra - Aris Christoffelis, soprano
2007 Nuova Era Internazionale 2007 Nuova Era Internazionale
Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Elisabeth von Magnus, mezzo-soprano - Mieke van der Sluis, soprano - Gerard Lesne, counter-tenor - Lucia Meeuwsen, mezzo-soprano - William Oberholtzer, bass - Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Ensemble Vocal La Cappella, Choir - Clemencic Consort, Orchestra - Aris Christoffelis, soprano
2007 Nuova Era Internazionale 2007 Nuova Era Internazionale
Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Elisabeth von Magnus, mezzo-soprano - Mieke van der Sluis, soprano - Gerard Lesne, counter-tenor - William Oberholtzer, bass - Ensemble Vocal La Cappella, Choir - Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Clemencic Consort, Orchestra - Lucia Meeuwsen, mezzo-soprano - Aris Christoffelis, soprano
2007 Nuova Era Internazionale 2007 Nuova Era Internazionale
Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Elisabeth von Magnus, mezzo-soprano - Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Lucia Meeuwsen, mezzo-soprano - Aris Christoffelis, soprano - Ensemble Vocal La Cappella, Choir - Mieke van der Sluis, soprano - Gerard Lesne, counter-tenor - William Oberholtzer, bass - Clemencic Consort, Orchestra
2007 Nuova Era Internazionale 2007 Nuova Era Internazionale
Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Elisabeth von Magnus, mezzo-soprano - Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Clemencic Consort, Orchestra - Lucia Meeuwsen, mezzo-soprano - Aris Christoffelis, soprano - William Oberholtzer, bass - Ensemble Vocal La Cappella, Choir - Mieke van der Sluis, soprano - Gerard Lesne, counter-tenor
2007 Nuova Era Internazionale 2007 Nuova Era Internazionale
Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Clemencic Consort, Orchestra - Lucia Meeuwsen, mezzo-soprano - Aris Christoffelis, soprano - William Oberholtzer, bass - Ensemble Vocal La Cappella, Choir - Gerard Lesne, counter-tenor - Elisabeth von Magnus, mezzo-soprano - Mieke van der Sluis, soprano
2007 Nuova Era Internazionale 2007 Nuova Era Internazionale
Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Elisabeth von Magnus, mezzo-soprano - Mieke van der Sluis, soprano - Clemencic Consort, Orchestra - Lucia Meeuwsen, mezzo-soprano - Gerard Lesne, counter-tenor - William Oberholtzer, bass - Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Aris Christoffelis, soprano - Ensemble Vocal La Cappella, Choir
2007 Nuova Era Internazionale 2007 Nuova Era Internazionale
Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Mieke van der Sluis, soprano - Lucia Meeuwsen, mezzo-soprano - Ensemble Vocal La Cappella, Choir - Elisabeth von Magnus, mezzo-soprano - Aris Christoffelis, soprano - William Oberholtzer, bass - Gerard Lesne, counter-tenor - Clemencic Consort, Orchestra
2007 Nuova Era Internazionale 2007 Nuova Era Internazionale
Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Elisabeth von Magnus, mezzo-soprano - Mieke van der Sluis, soprano - Lucia Meeuwsen, mezzo-soprano - Rene Clemencic, Conductor - Gerard Lesne, counter-tenor - William Oberholtzer, bass - Aris Christoffelis, soprano - Ensemble Vocal La Cappella, Choir - Clemencic Consort, Orchestra
2007 Nuova Era Internazionale 2007 Nuova Era Internazionale
Albumbeschreibung
It's astonishing that Vivaldi composed L'Olimpiade so late in his career, in 1734, when he was in his mid-fifties, after having demonstrated his mastery of opera with works like Tito Manlio, Orlando furioso, and Atenaide. On the basis of this performance, the opera sounds like it might have been written by an amateur. It starts with an oddly clunky "Sinfonia" that could be generously described as "interesting" in its alternation of phrases of four and three bars' length. The orchestration is at best perfunctory; the bulk of the music seems to have no middle, just a melody high in the violins, and a bass line, with very little, if anything, going on in between. Instances of counterpoint are scarce and rudimentary, and much of the writing sounds like the kind of insubstantial note spinning that can give the Baroque era a bad name. There are some lovely exceptions; the countertenor aria "Mentre dormi amor fomenti" and the duet for soprano and mezzo-soprano "Ne' giorni tuoi felice" stand out for their depth of feeling and musical inventiveness. It's possible that some of the music's lack of effectiveness is due to the performance by Ensemble Vocal La Cappella and Clemencic Consort, conducted by René Clemencic, and that a different, better balanced ensemble could make a more compelling case for the opera, making sense of its musical eccentricities and finding subtleties in its apparent plainness. The vocal soloists are generally erratic, some mediocre and some more than adequate, but their unevenness makes for a roller coaster ride of a listening experience. The standouts are mezzo-soprano Elisabeth von Magnus, soprano Mieke van der Sluis, and (after a rough start), countertenor Gerard Lesne, all of whom sing with fine, focused tone and strong characterizations. The sound quality of the live 1990 performance is generally poor and seems under-engineered, with prominent extraneous sounds like page turning and a singer clearing his throat. The Vivaldi enthusiast interested in L'Olimpiade would do better to explore the 2002 release by Opus 111, which also has the advantage of presenting a more complete version of the opera.
© TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 24 track(s)
- Total length: 02:12:13
- Main artists: René Clemencic
- Composer: Antonio Vivaldi
- Label: Nuova Era Internazionale
- Genre: Klassiek
2007 Nuova Era Internazionale 2007 Nuova Era Internazionale
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