Daniel Auber - Overtures, Vol. 4 (Dario Salvi)

Information

Composer: Daniel Auber

1. Le duc d'Olonne: Overture
2. Le duc d'Olonne: Act II Entr'acte et introduction
3. Le duc d'Olonne: Act III Entr'acte
4. Fra Diavolo: Overture
5. Fra Diavolo: Act III Entr'acte
6. Le philtre: Overture
7. Le philtre: Act II Entr'acte
8. La fête de Versailles: Divertissement de Versailles
9. La fiancée du roi de Garbe: Overture
10. La fiancée du roi de Garbe: Act I Final. Danse
11. La fiancée du roi de Garbe: Act II Entr'acte
12. La fiancée du roi de Garbe: Act III Mélodrame
13. Actéon: Overture

Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra

Dario Salvi, conductor

Date: 2021

Label: Naxos

https://www.naxos.com/CatalogueDetail/?id=8.574143

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Review

The music of Daniel-François Auber, with the single exception of the 1830 opera Fra Diavolo, has been all but forgotten. Perhaps he suffered because he was so prolific; he wrote dozens of operas (no one can quite agree on how many), remaining active until his death at age 89. However, he was absolutely ready for rediscovery, and conductor Dario Salvi and the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra have started the ball rolling with their series of his overtures, which here reaches its fourth volume. There is a lot more where these came from, especially inasmuch as the albums cover not only overtures but entr'actes and other instrumental passages. Saturation is nowhere near being reached. These works are as different from one another as the Mozart symphonies are, and they're unfailingly elegant, imaginative, and fun. Reasons to choose this release over the three earlier ones might include the presence of excerpts from Fra Diavolo, still the place to start with Auber even if there are so many other riches, and the delightful folkish effects of Le philtre, an opera that probably inspired Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore, but the whole thing is a joy. Salvi decisively avoids the sameness that infects many recordings of lighter 19th century music. His dynamic range is quite wide, and he captures the distinctive character of each work. Pick this volume if one must, but Salvi's whole Auber series is worth the listener's time.

-- James Manheim, AllMusic

More reviews:

https://lightmusicsociety.com/2021/06/30/auber-overtures-vol-4/

https://www.wtju.net/auber-overtures-volume-four-hits-keep-coming/

https://www.naxos.com/Review/Detail/?catalogueid=8.574143&languageid=EN

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Daniel Auber (29 January 1782 – 12 May 1871) was a French composer. He is mostly associated with opéra-comique and composed 35 works in that genre. With librettist Eugène Scribe, he wrote the first French grand opera, La Muette de Portici in 1828, which paved the way for the large-scale works of Giacomo Meyerbeer. Auber held two important official musical posts: he was director of the Paris Conservatoire from 1842 to 1871, and director of the imperial chapel in the Louvre from 1852 to 1870. In addition to his operas, Auber also wrote a substantial quantity of religious music, as well as chamber and orchestral works.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Auber

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Dario Salvi (born 1975) is a British-Italian conductor, researcher and musicologist. Born in Northern Italy and currently residing in Scotland, Salvi has received musical training in both Italy and the UK. He is a professional bass guitarist and has toured the world playing for bands and orchestras. He is widely regarded as a fast-rising name in opera and operetta, and is known for his expressive gestures and precision of style. Salvi has guest conducted and recorded opera and operetta across the USA, the Middle East and Europe. He is a recording artist with Naxos, and has published three books on Viennese operetta.

https://www.naxos.com/Bio/Person/Dario_Salvi/323089

https://www.dariosalvi.com/

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