Historic Bel Canto

Melbourne. Orchestra Victoria conducted by Richard Mills. This concert focussed on the tradition of Bel Canto, with arias being selected from operas by Rossini, Donizetti and Bellini. The orchestral overtures to such operas equal the glittering vocal virtuosity of this tradition and the concert opened with Rossini’s “Semiramide” Overture. Sally Walker, performing the famous piccolo solos received critical praise: “In other areas, principal flautist Lisa-Maree Amos and Sally Walker on piccolo deserve special mention for carrying the woodwinds on exceptional flights of artistry” (operachaser.com) and “Piccolo Sally Walker shone in the Rossini overture: an idiosyncratic skittering presence rising above her doubling first violin colleagues.” (https://oconnellthemusic.com/2019/07/16/party-pieces/) Program Rossini, Semiramide - Overture Rossini, Semiramide – ‘Eccomi alfine in Babilonia: Ah, quel giorno ognor rammento’ (Barcellona) Rossini, Ciro in Babilonia - ‘Avrai tu pur vendetta’ (Bárcenas) Rossini, Semiramide - ‘Bel raggio lusinghier’ (Pratt) Rossini, Ciro in Babilonia - ‘Chi disprezza gl’infelici’ (Dugan) Rossini, Guillaume Tell - ‘Asile héréditaire’ (Bárcenas) Rossini, Semiramide - ‘Ebben ... a te; ferisci’ (Pratt and Barcellona) – INTERVAL – Bellini, Norma - Overture Rossini, L’Italiana in Algeri - ‘Cruda sorte’ (Barcellona) Rossini, L’Italiana in Algeri - ‘Ai capricci della sorte’ (Barcellona and Marsh) Donizetti, Linda di Chamounix - ‘O luce di quest’ anima’ (Pratt) Donizetti, Don Sebastiano - ‘Deserto in terra’ (Bárcenas) Donizetti, La Favorite - ‘O mon Fernand’ (Barcellona) Donizetti, Le convenienze ed inconvenienze teatrale - ‘Livorno, dieci Aprile’ (Radcliffe, Dugan, Piper, Marsh, Lay, Wong, Thomas) Rossini, Le Comte Ory - Trio and Finale ‘A la faveur de cette nuit obscure’ (Pratt, Barcellona, Bárcenas, Radcliffe, Dugan, Piper, Marsh, Lay, Wong, Thomas)