Discography.
Florian Leopold Gassmann : “Gli uccellatori” (Dynamic & Naxos Deutschland)
Gli uccellatori (‘The Bird Catchers’) was first staged in Venice in 1759 and proved so successful that the opera was performed during the next decade throughout Italy, Spain, Poland and Germany before being performed in Vienna in 1768. Its composer was the distinguished Bohemian, Florian Leopold Gassmann, teacher of Salieri and nominated as Gluck’s successor in Vienna. The plot, based on a libretto by Carlo Goldoni, concerns amorous intrigues and the buffo antics of three bird catchers and two knowing maids. Gli uccellatori is an opera with a wealth of motifs and a vibrant atmosphere, full of spirited wit and theatrical charm.
A rise from peasant to emperor: along the way, there’s a wild bear, a kidnapping, a sea monster, action-packed heroines, and devious identity deception – Antonio Vivaldi’s opera «Il Giustino» is full of imaginative twists and turns. The peasant Giustino dreams of an exciting life, ideally one of eternal glory. He soon finds himself at the imperial court, where he rescues nobles from perilous situations and climbs the career ladder.